QB wonders: Nobody’s been greater as old as Tom Brady and as young as Patrick Mahomes
Think about the quarterback contrast in this Chiefs-Buccaneers Super Bowl in terms of a greatness spectrum.
When he was handed the Pete Rozelle Trophy last season, Patrick Mahomes became the youngest Super Bowl MVP at age 24 and the first player to capture that award and the regular season MVP honor in his first three NFL seasons.
If he isn’t the best young quarterback in NFL history, the awards have made him the most accomplished.
At 43, Tom Brady is the oldest quarterback to reach the Super Bowl. He also was the oldest at ages 40 and 41 when he made it with the Patriots. In 2017, Brady at 40 became the oldest to capture an MVP award.
Undoubtedly, Brady is the best quarterback who has ever played over the age of 40, and as he bids for his seventh Super Bowl ring he has strong credentials to be called the greatest of all-time.
Mahomes’ maturity, his mastery of the game and drive to win are uncommon for a player just four years removed from a college career that ended in three seasons.
Brady is redefining what can be accomplished physically and in peak performance with discipline and routine. Simply put, he’s slowed down the aging process.
So let’s compare
Which end of the spectrum is more impressive? Other quarterbacks have hit the ground running to open their pro careers. Dan Marino had a spectacular second season at 23, setting NFL records for passing yards and touchdowns passes and taking the Miami Dolphins to the Super Bowl. But they lost that game and never returned.
Last season, Baltimore’sLamar Jackson became the NFL’s youngest MVP at 23 and he has helped define a new generation of fresh-faced quarterbacks. But Jackson’s Ravens are 1-3 in postseason games over his three NFL seasons.
Even Brady, a Super Bowl winner in his second season — and his first as a starter — and owner of three rings in his first four years didn’t capture the first of his four MVP awards until his seventh season.
Mahomes looks to add a second Super Bowl ring to his collection, two wins in two tries. If that happens, there will be no mistaken identity over the top quarterback in today’s game.
“He’s just getting more and more comfortable,” Brady said before the teams met in the regular season. “So much about playing quarterback is having experience, learning from year to year, improving your routine, and he’s just doing a tremendous job.”
OK, so Mahomes is off to a good start in his quest for a Brady-like career, but think about the bar Brady has set — and continues to raise higher with each passing season.
This is Brady’s 10th Super Bowl. Next on the list is John Elway, with five.
Brady is bidding for his seventh Super Bowl ring. Second are Joe Montana Terry Bradshaw with four apiece.
Playoff victories? Brady has lapped the field with 33, more than double Montana’s 16.
Brady is the league’s all-time touchdown passes leader, and is a close second to Drew Brees in career yards.
The greatest-of-all-time discussion was interesting a few years ago. That’s no longer the case. The championships and statistics point only to Brady.
He’s been so good for so long that Mahomes even offered a joke about when he first became aware of Brady.
“It was probably September 17, 1995 when I was born.,” Mahomes said. “He’s been around for a while.”
Brady started his career in 2000, but point taken.
The Super Bowl often features showdowns between future Hall of Fame quarterbacks, from Bart Starr-Len Dawson in the first one through Montana-Marino, Elway-Brett Favre and Drew Brees-Peyton Manning. This one brings a generational twist: prodigy vs. age-defying greatness.
Other sports greats
Other pro team sports aren’t quite scripted in such a way that they provide such a dramatic positional showdown. But all sports have had their versions of Mahomes and Brady.
Johnny Bench remains baseball’s youngest MVP at 22. He’s arguably the game’s best catcher ever and won two World Series in four appearances.
Barry Bonds, a seven-time MVP and a MVP winner at 40, lost in his only World Series appearance, Derrick Rose was basketball’s youngest MVP, winning the award at 22 in 2011. The oldest was Karl Malone at 36. Neither won a championship.
Michael Jordan was an NBA All-Star in his final year at 39. LeBron James is 36 this season.
So hockey may provide the most relatable comparison to this Mamhomes-Brady Super Bowl.
Wayne Gretzky turned 19 in the season he won the first of is nine Hart Trophies as the NHL MVP. His Edmonton Oilers won the first of four Stanley Cups in 1984, when he was 23. He led the NHL in assists at 36 and 37. On the lists of career goals, assists and points, no one is close to “The Great One.”
Gretzky’s career includes some Mahomes- and Brady-esque elements.
Then there’s the ageless Gordie Howe, who appeared in NHL All-Star Games at age 20 and 51. At 69, he skated a shift for a minor-league team.
Brady has one year left on his deal with the Buccaneers, and no one in NFL history has played at this level. His 40 touchdown passes this season were the second-most of his career. Another Super Bowl triumph would add another level of disbelief to his astonishing run.
And if the Chiefs win their second straight Super Bowl, the idea of Mahomes catching Brady in career accomplishments and yards is no stretch.
Brady vs. Mahomes, postseason play
Playoff record: Brady 33-11, Mahomes 6-1
Championships: Brady 6, Mahomes 1
Playoff passer rating: Mahomes 109.8, Brady 89.9
This story was originally published February 1, 2021 at 5:00 AM.