Currently, the most popular duo in the NFL is undoubtedly Patrick Mahomes and his tight end, Travis Kelce. This Kansas City Chiefs pair has secured three Super Bowl victories, dominated their division for six consecutive years, and reached the AFC Championship game six times. Before them, the most celebrated and successful duo was Tom Brady, the all-time greatest, and Rob Gronkowski. Together, Tom and Rob won four Super Bowls out of the six they played-five with the New England Patriots and one final championship with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Comming back from retirement
Tom and Gronk’s friendship extends beyond the field. A perfect example of this was Gronk’s appearance at “The Roast of Tom Brady,” where he, like all the other guests, didn’t miss the chance to poke fun at Brady. Their latest appearance was just yesterday at the Fanatics Fest, the first-ever immersive sports festival. The duo surprised everyone by showing up dressed as each other, like if they came out of retirement wandering around the festival among the crowd like super fans, complete with Patriots helmets. Watch the video and see if you wouldn’t mistake them, even in each other’s uniforms.
The best comments were, “Can we just appreciate they didn’t do it in Buccaneers jerseys,” highlighting their more significant success with the Patriots, and “Stop putting that man in a uniform! He is gonna come back,” referencing Brady’s career, which extended until he was 45, suggesting that if he returns to the NFL, he could still outperform half of the current starting quarterbacks.
Brady and Gronk vs. Mahomes and Kelce
When it comes to numbers, in the 11 seasons Gronk played with Brady, the tight end and the GOAT combined for 620 catches, 9,275 yards, and 93 touchdowns in 141 games. This averages out to four catches, 65 yards, and 0.65 touchdowns per game. Meanwhile, in their six seasons together, Mahomes and Kelce have achieved 589 catches, 7,303 yards, and 53 touchdowns in 93 games, averaging six catches, 78 yards, and 0.56 touchdowns per game. While Kelce and Mahomes surpass Gronk and Brady in catches and yards, I believe that at this level, there isn’t a duo better than the other-both are exceptional in their own unique ways.
Brady and Gronk were so inseparable that after winning their third Super Bowl together in 2018, Rob announced his retirement, only to be coaxed back by Tom a year later to play with him again, this time in Tampa Bay, where they won their fourth Super Bowl together. This year, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce have the chance to match Brady and Gronk with a fourth Super Bowl victory and could also become the first team in history to achieve a three-peat.