Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: on Sunday, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs will play in the final game of this NFL season with a chance to take home a historic Super Bowl. In this case, it’s deja vu the third time over as Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid and the Chiefs attempt to win their third consecutive Super Bowl title, this time facing off against Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. If the Chiefs win, Mahomes would become just the fourth starting QB in NFL history to win four or more Super Bowls, joining Tom Brady (7), Terry Bradshaw (4) and Joe Montana (4).
Still about six months shy of his 30th birthday, the 29-year-old Mahomes has led the Chiefs to five Super Bowls in a six-year span, making Kansas City the first team in NFL history to achieve that milestone. This year, the Chiefs look to join the Steelers as the 2nd team to win four Super Bowls in a six-year span (SB IX to XIV).
With Mahomes already on that Brady-led shortlist of all-time winningest Super Bowl QBs, the comparison is inevitable between the two greats. Heading into Super Bowl LIX, here’s a look at how the two stack up in the conversation for Greatest of All Time.
Patrick Mahomes can soon be second only to Tom Brady in playoff and Super Bowl history
Tom Brady vs Patrick Mahomes: Playoff stats
Brady started 48 playoff games in his career, going 35-13 (.729 win percentage) and winning a record seven Super Bowls. He threw for 13,400 passing yards in his playoff career (279.2 yds/gm) with 88 touchdown passes and 40 interceptions.
Mahomes has started 20 playoff games in his career, going 17-3 and has won three Super Bowls. He has thrown for 5,557 yards in the postseason (277.9 yds/gm) with 50 total touchdowns (43 passing, 7 rushing), and eight interceptions.
With the Chiefs’ win over the Bills in the AFC Championship game, Mahomes won his 17th playoff game and surpassed Monatana (16 wins) for the second-most postseason wins by a quarterback in NFL history. But he’s got a ways to go catch number one on that list: It’s the aforementioned Brady and his 35 career postseason wins.
Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes: Super Bowl stats
Brady played in a record 10 Super Bowls in his 23-season career, going 7-3 in those 10 games (6 wins with New England, 1 win with Tampa Bay). Two of his Super Bowl losses came against Eli Manning and the Giants, while he also lost Super Bowl LII against Nick Foles and the Eagles. After winning six Super Bowls with the Patriots, Brady led the Buccaneers to a win over Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
- In his 10 Super Bowl appearances, Brady threw for 3,039 yards (303.9 yds/gm) with 21 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. He was named Super Bowl MVP a record five times.
Mahomes will be playing in his fifth Super Bowl this year, going 3-1 in his first four appearances. He led the Chiefs to wins over the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV (2019 season), over the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII in the 2022 season, and over the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII last season. His only loss came against Brady’s Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV in the 2020 season.
In his four Super Bowl appearances, Mahomes has thrown for 1,071 yards (267.8 yards/gm) with seven touchdown passes and five interceptions. He was named Super Bowl MVP in all three of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl wins. This weekend, he can become the first player to win three straight Super Bowl MVPs.
Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes: Awards and accolades
Brady won seven Super Bowls and five Super Bowl MVPs (both records) in his career. He was also a three-time NFL MVP in the regular season and was twice named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year while being named to 15 Pro Bowls.
Mahomes has won three Super Bowls, being named MVP in all three wins. He was twice named NFL MVP of the regular season, was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2018 and is a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro.
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Brady and Mahomes are two of three quarterbacks to throw 50+ TD passes in a single season. Peyton Manning threw a record 55 TD passes in the 2013 season, while Brady (2007) and Mahomes (2018) each threw 50 TD passes in a season.
Tom Brady vs. Patrick Mahomes: Through seven seasons as starter
Both Brady and Mahomes became the starting QB in their second season in the league and immediately became two of the league’s best quarterbacks.
In Brady’s first six seasons as the starter (2001-2006), he went 70-24 in the regular season (.745 win%) and 10-1 in the playoffs. He led the Patriots to three Super Bowl appearances, winning all three, and won two Super Bowl MVPs in that time.
Now at the tail end of his seventh season as the starter (2018-2024), Mahomes is is 89-23 in the regular season and 17-3 in the playoffs. While he’s still looking up at Brady in several key categories, he’s won more playoff games (17) than Brady did in his first seven seasons as a starter (14). He’s also reached the AFC Championship game in all seven seasons as a starter.
How old was Tom Brady when he won his fourth Super Bowl?
While Brady was just 27 years old when the Patriots defeated the Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX in the 2004 season to win his third Super Bowl, it took a full decade for him to add on his fourth. He was 37 years old when the Patriots defeated the Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX (2014 season). Of note, Brady completed 37 passes (on 50 attempts) in that win.
Meanwhile, Mahomes has the opportunity this weekend to secure his fourth Super Bowl ring before he turns thirty.
