You may be able to write the Kansas City Chiefs in as the AFC’s Super Bowl representative in 2026. Including Super Bowl LIX, Patrick Mahomes has taken the Chiefs to five of the past six Super Bowls. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow will try to change that next season. For now, though, the AFC remains Kansas City’s world.
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Before the Chiefs began reigning supreme, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots served as the conference’s monarch. It was Brady’s Patriots who eliminated Mahomes’ Chiefs in the latter’s first year as a starter.
Despite New England’s triumph, the matchup served as a passing of the baton of sorts from Brady to Mahomes. The two reminisced on the battle ahead of Kansas City’s Week 7 clash with the San Francisco 49ers. There, Brady brought up his first-ever conversation with Mahomes.
“The first time we met, it was after the AFC Championship game in 2018, and we celebrated on the field. And I really wanted to make sure I went over and just said, ‘hey, congrats man, you’re doing all the right things.'”
Mahomes recalled the chat. He said it meant a lot that Brady would take time out of his celebration to talk with him.
“For me, the biggest thing was… you’ve done this for a long time, and you had that thought process in that moment to come into the locker room… you looked at me and you said… ‘keep doing it like that and you’ll have success.”
Brady wasn’t lying. Mahomes is now on the cusp of his fourth Super Bowl in seven seasons as a starting quarterback. If he pulls off the league’s first-ever three-peat on Sunday, some could say he surpassed Brady in the NFL’s GOAT conversation.
Mahomes picked up his third Lombardi Trophy when he defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII. He reviewed the film during the offseason and wasn’t thrilled with what he saw.
“If you watch this first half, there’s no way you think we win.”
However, his ability to adapt in the moment allowed him to lead the Chiefs to victory. That same adaptability gives him confidence every time Kansas City takes the field.
“It’s almost like I know what the defense is supposed to do. And I’m just going to make sure that I keep gaining that information so I can keep getting better and better as my years go on.”
Mahomes, like Brady frequently did in Super Bowls, may have the “answers to the test” on Sunday. He is 8-0 against Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio in his career. He’ll get his chance to improve to 9-0 at 6:30 p.m. E.T. on FOX.
