As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare for their third consecutive Super Bowl appearance, discussions have intensified regarding Patrick Mahomes‘ place among the NFL’s all-time great quarterbacks. While some argue that Mahomes is approaching Tom Brady‘s legendary status, former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski offers a different perspective.
In a recent interview, Gronkowski emphasized the importance of head-to-head matchups in evaluating greatness
“Tom Brady beat him two times in the playoffs,” he noted.
This includes the 2018 AFC Championship and Super Bowl LV, where Brady‘s teams emerged victorious over Mahomes‘ Chiefs. Gronkowski acknowledges Mahomes as “the greatest player currently” but believes he has yet to reach Brady‘s level.
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Julian Edelman’s perspective
Former Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman also weighed in on the debate. Speaking on “The Dan Patrick Show,” Edelman highlighted the significance of sustained excellence.
“He’s just gotta do it for a long time. I mean, he’s on pace. This is remarkable. If he goes out and does three in a row, in a salary-cap era, you can’t say much,” he said.
Edelman emphasized that while Mahomes is on the right trajectory, Brady‘s longevity and ability to overcome various adversities set him apart.
Edelman further elaborated on NBC Sports Boston’s “Patriots Talk Podcast”.
“The argument’s getting closer. I mean if he goes out and three-peats… this is the salary cap era, it’s tough to win consistently in this league. That’s something that no one’s ever done. So it’s going to get closer,” Edelman claimed.
Patrick Mahomes has undoubtedly made a significant impact in his early career. Leading the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship appearances and securing three Super Bowl titles, his accomplishments are impressive.
“Now, we haven’t seen any crazy adversity for this Kansas City Chiefs team,” Edelman said.
“There’s going to be a time where Travis (Kelce) ain’t there. There’s going to be a time where Chris Jones ain’t going to be there. And then I think that’s when you start evaluating Patrick on if he’s going to get to where Tom‘s at, but he’s well on his way.