There’s been a lot of talk about Tom Brady and his legacy as we inch closer to Super Bowl LV on Sunday, February 7. Listen, I get it. He’s the GOAT. He’s won six Super Bowls and is about to appear in his 10th. The guy’s a freak! Likewise, there’s also been a lot of talk about what winning would mean for Patrick Mahomes’s legacy. Sure, the guy’s only 25 years old, but many believe if he wants to catch Brady in the all-time Super Bowl wins race, he has to win on Sunday. While this may be true — heck, there’s a chance no one will ever be able to catch Brady — Mahomes doesn’t need to worry about his legacy. Though there’s no denying this week’s Super Bowl is meaningful, here’s why Mahomes has nothing to prove in Sunday’s game.
Guys, Patrick Mahomes already has a Super Bowl ring to his name. I don’t know if you remember, but he brought the Chiefs back after being down 20-10 in the fourth quarter to ultimately win the game 31-20.
So many good quarterbacks end their careers without ever winning a Super Bowl, but Mahomes was able to get the monkey off his back when he was just 24 years old. We’d be having a different conversation right now if he had lost last year’s Super Bowl, but, well, he didn’t.
Yes, Mahomes has been in the NFL four seasons, but he’s only played in three. In those three seasons, he’s managed to make the Super Bowl twice.
In fact, if it wasn’t for a pre-snap penalty in the 2019 AFC Championship game, Mahomes would’ve made the Super Bowl three times in three seasons. These are incredible numbers, regardless of what happens on Sunday. For some perspective, Aaron Rodgers is 37 years old and has only made the Super Bowl once. Once! Getting to a Super Bowl is hard, but Mahomes has somehow managed to make two before even turning 26 years old.
Speaking of turning 26 years old, let me remind you once again Mahomes is just 25 years old. While we have no idea how long he’ll be able to play, he should have many years ahead of him in the league (knock on wood).
What he’s managed to achieve in his first 25 years on earth is pretty darn incredible, and there’s certainly a sense he’s only getting started.
Let’s set aside the fact Mahomes hopefully has 15 more years in the NFL in front of him for a second. Even if he were to retire on Monday morning, Mahomes would have the same number of Super Bowl wins as Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, Joe Namath, and Brett Favre. Bottom line? He’s already cemented himself as one of the great players.
Yes, Mahomes will ultimately be judged by the quality of all of his seasons, not just his first three, but he’s certainly on the path to greatness.