“Tom Brady Had a Singular Focus”: Howie Long Details Key Challenge in Front of Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are on the precipice of greatness. They are just one Super Bowl away from achieving a three-peat, a feat no team has accomplished since the AFL-NFL merger. The QB has arguably positioned himself as Tom Brady’s successor, but there’s still a way to go for Mahomes to catch up, a sentiment shared by Hall of Famer Howie Long.

During their recent appearance on the Green Light podcast, Howie and his son Chris Long went on to discuss whether Mahomes is close to being called the GOAT compared to Brady. Initially, Howie talked about what makes Brady so great. It wasn’t just the throwing arm, the trophies, or the way he picked up plays.

With Brady, it was the singular focus he maintained for two long decades. Throughout his career with the Patriots and the Buccaneers, the star QB ensured his unwavering drive toward winning and asserting dominance. For Howie, that remains the biggest challenge Mahomes will face.

As of now, Mahomes is arguably the best active QB in the league. However, sustaining the effort to remain the best year after year, avoiding injury, keeping the family happy while staying dedicated to the craft, and managing life as a whole, will define Mahomes’ career. The Hall of Famer raised the question and said:

“Tom Brady had such a singular focus for 20-plus years. As, you know, there are distractions. There is family, there’s life, and all those things that pull at you, and justifiably so. But can Patrick sustain the focus?”

Moreover, Mahomes’ focus is just one facet of the coin. While the Chiefs’ player has to sustain his focus to keep adding Lombardis to his trophy case, Andy Reid remains a crucial part of the puzzle.

The Chiefs and Mahomes will need Andy Reid to stay healthy and committed to the goal of establishing a dynasty, akin to what the Patriots achieved with Brady and Belichick. Chris, however, has a slightly different take.

The Meaning Behind a Three-Peat for Patrick Mahomes and Co.

Brady and the Patriots’ legacy was cemented with those six Super Bowl wins during his time in Foxborough. However, even the most successful QB, who has more Super Bowls under his belt than any franchise, wasn’t able to clinch a three-peat. They did win back-to-back during the 2003 and 2004 seasons but failed to achieve a three-peat.

This is why Chris Long believes that achieving a three-peat will position the Chiefs as one of the greatest franchises to ever do it. They are already more than halfway there, and a successful run would mean the team achieved it during the free agency era.

“Let’s say they three-peat; that to me, puts them in rare error. There’s no other football team that’s been able to do it. And this is in the age of free agency and player movement.”

Having addressed all the issues that troubled them last season, the defending champs will be the biggest threat to all the other 31 teams this season. However, other teams weren’t just sitting idle this offseason, making notable moves that could impact the Chiefs’ aspirations. Exciting times ahead, for sure!