Have you forgotten about the career Patrick Mahomes is putting together? NFL fans and media tend to adopt a short-term view, and the hottest new star often takes the headlines over the productive veteran. Those who win too much become villains, and those who beat them become heroes.
Mahomes has already lived through this story arc. His first season as the AFC quarterback who could knock Tom Brady off his throne was incredible, and his first Super Bowl win rejuvenated a franchise. The run that followed, with a near 'three-peat' and a string of controversial moments, turned much of the NFL world against him and the Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift media storm. As he put it, you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.
Then came last season: a career low in quarterback rating, a career high in sack rate, a losing season and a season-ending ACL tear. Josh Allen, Brock Purdy and Trevor Lawrence have all stepped into the spotlight, and Mahomes has slipped under the radar. Yet his first eight seasons as a starter are unprecedented. Not since the second half of Tom Brady's career has a quarterback and team sustained this level of success.
Mahomes exploded with 5,097 passing yards and 50 touchdowns in 2018, a mark only Peyton Manning had reached in a single season, and he was named MVP. The Chiefs reached seven straight AFC Championship games and five Super Bowls, winning three, while his passing numbers later dropped. The question now is whether a post-ACL Mahomes can match Brady's 'second career'. Brady's first half alone would have earned him a place in the Hall of Fame, and his second half is equally compelling, making him the best to combine both.
Source: Sky Sports Champions League · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing