Brady vs Mahomes – Fathertime vs Showtime

Written by Nick Der Garabedian (@nickd.16)

Entering into his second full season in the NFL, quarterback Patrick Mahomes has taken the league by storm. His 2018 season was capped off with 50 touchdowns and the Chiefs ultimately finished as AFC runner ups, falling to the Evil Empire, also known as the New England Patriots. Tom Brady, quarterback for the Patriots, and Patrick Mahomes quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, both proved to be top tier talent in the NFL and were racing for the top seed in the AFC. The matchups between these quarterbacks will only become more exciting and they have developed into the top matchup to watch in the NFL, however we must go over what the Mahomes-Brady rivalry could possibly become.

A major rivalry takes the game of football past the scoreboard and into the players, coaches, and fans’ lives. It brings a whole new level of emotion to the game, filled with history, anger, and excitement. As we look back on the AFC, we see many great rivalries, with many great quarterbacks leading the charge. Selected in 1998, Payton Manning was an MVP quarterback who was pushing for a Superbowl with the Indianapolis Colts. However, when the year 2000 arrived, there was a new threat amongst the AFC. Tom Brady was selected by the New England Patriots in 2000 draft and began his own quest for the Lombardi Trophy. As both MVP level QB’s began pushing for a Superbowl ring, they both clashed for the first time in the 2001 season, leading to several more matchups that in most cases, determined who would come out of the AFC. Both QBs were at the top of the NFL and created a rivalry that lasted for over 15 years.

After the 2016 season, Payton Manning decided to hang the cleats up and retired after winning Super Bowl 50. The rivalry had officially come to an end and Tom Brady was left as the most dominant QB in the AFC. However, when the 2018 season began, there was a new QB in town who proved his dominance quickly. Patrick Mahomes quickly became one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL, passing for 50 touchdowns and leading his team to the number 1 scoring offense in the NFL. As the 2018 season began, the Patriots and Chiefs had a week 6 primetime matchup set for October 14th, 2018 and the two quarterbacks lit up the scoreboard. The game was not only about the stats, it was a major turning point in the season that proved to affect playoff seeding for the rest of year, similar to how the Brady-Manning rivalry began. The Patriots won this matchup with a score of 43-40. However, the game would begin to foreshadow what the playoffs would look like, and which two teams would be coming out of the AFC

Throughout the rest of the 2018 season, the Patriots and Chiefs dominated their competition, with the Chiefs going 12-4 and the Patriots going 11-5. Both teams were the 1 and 2 seeds in the AFC respectively, and would set the stage for an AFC championship game on January 20th, 2019. Mahomes and Brady yet again lit up the scoreboard and stole the show. Both offenses put up a combined 68 points and 9 total touchdowns, however it was the last drive that mattered the most and Brady delivered, leading his offense down the field for the game winning score.

In the aftermath of this season, the Kansas City Chiefs have quickly become a powerhouse in the AFC and a threat to the New England Patriots dynasty. Patrick Mahomes is a rising star and has proved to be an elite QB in the NFL, challenging Tom Brady and keeping the AFC interesting. Similar to how Manning and Brady dominated the AFC, Mahomes has quickly taken his place and now Tom Brady is yet again faced with another challenge. Mahomes being the young star and Brady being at the tail end of his career may prevent any matchups in the distant future, but Mahomes and Brady still have many more matchups to come and both QB’s will continue to go head to head, fighting for the AFC crown. This rivalry may not last as long as Manning and Brady’s did, however the Mahomes-Brady rivalry will never fall short of satisfaction and the games will not only be about the scoreboard, but about who receives power-either the young star, or the seasoned pro.