ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith sparked debate by suggesting Patrick Mahomes could surpass Tom Brady as the NFL’s greatest quarterback if the Kansas City Chiefs win their third straight Super Bowl.
The Chiefs face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Sunday. No NFL team has won three consecutive Super Bowl titles.
“It would be epic,” Smith said on ESPN’s “First Take.” “There’s no question about it. It has never been done before in football. So, you got a situation [that] particularly how we talk about today’s game, although it has been softened to some degree because you got rules and regulations that have invaded the proceedings and essentially took away some of the roughhouse tactics. The bottom line is, it is still the most physical game out there.”
Smith’s comparison of Mahomes to Brady generated immediate reaction across social media.
“Tom Brady didn’t even win back-to-back-to-back Super Bowl titles,” Smith said. “It would be huge for the sport [of the NFL]. It would be huge for the city. It would be huge for the [Chiefs] franchise, and it would cement Patrick Mahomes as the greatest quarterback in the history of the NFL.”
Brady’s career achievements present a significant counter-argument. The former New England Patriots quarterback won seven Super Bowl titles during his 23-year NFL career. Mahomes currently has two.
Brady’s path from sixth-round draft pick to seven-time champion contrasts with Mahomes’ immediate success as a first-round selection.
The “greatest of all time” conversation extends beyond Brady and Mahomes. NFL legends Joe Montana, John Elway, Terry Bradshaw, and Peyton Manning all stake legitimate claims in the discussion.
Kansas City’s potential third consecutive championship would establish an unprecedented achievement in NFL history, regardless of where Mahomes ultimately ranks among the all-time greats.
