It is widely regard that Tom Brady is the greatest quarterback in NFL history. He has the most Super Bowl rings of any player by far, with 7. He has so many that he has more rings than most NFL franchises! He’s a 3-time MVP award, and some argue his stock has only gone up since he left the New England Patriots, given how they have performed since Brady left the team in 2020.
However, as is custom, fans always want to compare and contrast the current greats with the past greats. It’s what makes sports what it is, of course. LeBron James and Michael Jordan GOAT debates have been going on for a long, long time and they won’t stop any time soon. Well, we have officially entered uncharted territory in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes. Patrick Mahomes has played in 6 consecutive AFC Championship Games. That started in 2018, when he lost that memorable to the Patriots, and Tom Brady outdueled him. Mahomes already has 2 Super Bowl rings and 2 MVP awards. He’s undoubtedly the best player in the league right now and he would get into the Hall of Fame if he never played another snap. When Super Bowl LVIII kicks off, Mahomes will be the only player to appear in 4 Super Bowls before turning 30.
Fans always want to compare players, so this was going to come. It has been asked and debated now: “Who’s the best QB ever?” Many fans want to point to Mahomes being 0-2 against Brady, and one of those losses being a blowout loss in the Super Bowl in 2020. That is definitely a knock against Mahomes. Fans who argue Mahomes is better debate arm talent, mobility, and the fact that the Patriots played in a terrible division for much of their dynasty and didn’t have to face elite competition until the playoffs. They also will point to the Patriots losing in arguably the single greatest Super Bowl upset ever, in 2007 when they were going for the 19-0 undefeated season against the New York Giants.
However, perhaps a better question is this: “Who cares about who is better? Let’s just enjoy greatness and see how it plays out.” Patrick Mahomes is simply an electric talent. Every time he steps onto the field, he’s the single best player on the field. He can do anything he wants when he’s in the right mindset. Every single team in the league would do anything to find their Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. The debate will rage on, but Mahomes will (hopefully) be playing for a very long time. As fans, we should be enjoying elite play from players who do the right thing on and off the field.
There will be plenty of time to debate who the GOAT is between Mahomes and Brady. Of course, it’ll only get louder as Mahomes accumulates awards and trophies. However, for now, let’s keep it simple and simply enjoy greatness on the field. It doesn’t come around often.