Patrick Mahomes’ Dad: Chiefs QB Is Still Behind Tom Brady, Joe Montana in GOAT Debate

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Although Patrick Mahomes’ father is preparing to watch his son compete in the fourth Super Bowl of his career, he’s not ready to declare him as the greatest player in NFL history just yet.

“That’s still to be determined,” Pat Mahomes Sr. said. “He still has a ways to go. I have mad respect for Tom Brady and I grew up as a Joe Montana fan. [Patrick] is on the right trajectory, but right now, I would still say those guys are better.”

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If his son were to win the third championship of his career at 28 years old, he would certainly be on the correct trajectory to enter the debate regarding the greatest of all time.

While the 28-year-old isn’t particularly close to the career-long dominance of Brady and Montana, he’s enjoyed similar levels of overall success at this point in his seven-year career. Montana hoisted his second Lombardi Trophy in his age-28 season, while Brady won his first three rings by the time he was 28.

In terms of individual success, Mahomes won his second MVP award for his 2022 season. Both Brady and Montana weren’t able to capture the prestigious award until they were both over 30 years old, although they had been finalists several times before.

While Mahomes is seemingly on pace to join the discussion regarding the top players in NFL history, it’s hard to put him in the conversation right away. It’s also difficult to compare individual statistics, as Montana’s dominance occurred in an era of football where high-powered passing attacks were not commonplace.

For example, the Hall of Fame signal-caller led the NFL with 17 touchdown passes in 1982. By today’s standards, that would have been one of the lowest marks by a starting quarterback over a full season.

As for Brady, his long-term excellence is difficult to replicate due to his decades of successful play. He owns the NFL’s all-time records for passing yards and passing touchdowns, which could be difficult for Mahomes to replicate over his full career.

Still, his father agrees that he can get closer to the conversation if the former first-round pick secures a victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58.