Tom Brady & Patrick Mahomes | A Super Bowl Matchup For The Ages

Skip to main content Advertising Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tom Brady & Patrick Mahomes | A Super Bowl Matchup for the Ages

Tom Brady could become the first quarterback to win Super Bowls for two different teams after turning 40, while Patrick Mahomes could be the first to collect two titles by the age of 25…There is a lot more potential history in this Super Bowl LV matchup

Jan 28, 2021 at 03:51 PM

Scott Smith

Senior Writer/Editor

• Copied!

On February 7, Patrick Mahomes will try to become the second starting quarterback ever to win two Super Bowls in his first four seasons in the NFL. To do so, he'll have to go through the only quarterback who already has that accomplishment on his résumé.

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI at the end of the 2001 season, his second in the league and his first as a starter. Brady got his second ring in Super Bowl XXXVIII at the end of the 2003 campaign, his fourth year in the NFL (and another one the next year in Super Bowl XXXIX for good measure).

Since then, two other quarterbacks have won a Super Bowl as a starter and then had a chance to win another one during his first four years in the league: the Rams' Kurt Warner and the Seahawks' Russell Wilson. Unfortunately for both, Brady was waiting for them in that second title game and his Patriots won both times.

Now it's Mahomes' turn, as he tries to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a second straight Super Bowl championship, which would also make him the first quarterback to repeat as a Super Bowl winner since, yep, Tom Brady in 2003-04. To catch Brady, Mahomes will have to beat Brady…and maybe that's the broader theme here, too. Brady's NFL accomplishments, including six Super Bowl victories and soon-to-be 10 appearances, seem unlikely to be matched, except possibly by the Chiefs' precocious 25-year-old. That's what makes this year's Super Bowl perhaps the greatest quarterback matchup in NFL history.

"There's 21 other [starters] on your team," said Buccaneers Head Coach Bruce Arians. "If it was a throwing contest, hell yeah, [Mahomes] is going to get it. But there are a lot of things that happen in different seasons, and what Tom has done is historic. There's no doubt – if there was a player who could do it, it would be Patrick."

Related Links

• The Buccaneers Will Wear White, Pewter for Super Bowl LV
• How to Watch: Chiefs vs. Buccaneers in the Super Bowl
• 5 Things to Know About the Kansas City Chiefs

The quarterback pairing in Super Bowl LV between Brady's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Mahomes' Kansas City Chiefs is not only one for the ages, but one about the ages. Brady could become the first player in any of the major North American sports to win titles with multiple teams after turning 40. Meanwhile, Mahomes will try to become the first quarterback to win two Super Bowls by the age of 25.

Brady would have been a first-ballot Hall-of-Fame selection if he had retired at the age of 39, but the 40-plus chapter of his career has been incredible, including his third league MVP award and appearances in three of the last four Super Bowls. Mahomes is still writing his opening chapter, but it's already an unparalleled first four years. After spending his 2017 rookie season as a reserve, Mahomes threw for 50 touchdown passes and won the league MVP award in 2018. He then took the Chiefs to the Super Bowl title in 2019, winning the game's MVP award to become the youngest player ever to collect both types of MVP trophies.

Brady is the only opposing quarterback who has beaten Mahomes in the playoffs; the Patriots won the 2018 AFC Championship Game in Kansas City, delaying the young quarterback's shot at the game's biggest stage by one year. The two passers have now met four times overall and split them, 2-2, including the Chiefs regular-season win in Tampa in Week 12. Brady is well aware of how talented his Super Bowl LV opponent is.

"He's a terrific player, obviously, being league MVP a few years ago," said Brady before the last meeting. "Fifty touchdowns is pretty hard to do – there's not many guys who have done that. To continue that last year with the Super Bowl championship, and [he is] playing at an extremely high level this year. He's just getting more and more comfortable and so much about playing quarterback is having experience, learning from year-to-year [and] improving your routine. He's just doing a tremendous job. … You give him a chance to win and he takes advantage of it and leads the team down there. He does a tremendous job."

Brady's right – Mahomes joined an exclusive club with his 50 touchdown passes in 2018. The only other members are Peyton Manning (55 with Denver in 2013) and, well, you know. Brady threw 50 touchdown passes during a 2007 season in which his Patriots were undefeated during the regular season before eventually losing to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

That was the first Super Bowl Brady loss but he has since won three more and is about to go for a seventh ring in his 10th appearances. That's twice Super Bowls as any other quarterback has ever played in but, again, Mahomes is off to such a fast start in his career that it makes it seem at least plausible that he might get to 10.

The Buccaneers had to overcome quite a bit to make it to their first Super Bowl in 18 years, in Brady's first season with the team, but they came out of their Week 13 bye hot and have won seven straight since. The Chiefs lost their regular-season finale but rested their starters in that game; Mahomes has won 12 straight starts. At this point, it almost seems like this Super Bowl quarterback matchup was destined to happen.

Consider this: Super Bowl LV will mark the first one ever to pit the winning quarterbacks from the previous two Super Bowls. Before the Chiefs and Mahomes beat San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV last January, Brady and the Patriots prevailed against the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII. It will also mark the first time that two quarterbacks will meet in a Super Bowl who have already won both a league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP award.

Brady owns virtually every NFL career passing record in the counting stats, regular season, postseason and combined. Mahomes is the current leader in career passer rating and passing yards per game (postseason included). Brady is the only player with 12,000-plus passing yards in the postseason; Mahomes is the first quarterback to get to 2,000-plus passing yards by the age of 25.

Tom Brady won't be "passing the torch" in Super Bowl LV. He'll be sharing the stage with a fellow transcendent talent. Brady is already the "greatest of all time." Mahomes, some day, may be the greatest challenge to that title.

Related Content

news

Buccaneers Have a Ball on Boats

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated their latest Lombardi trophy with a boat parade and the help of thousands.

news

Devin White Does It All in 2020 Postseason

Super Bowl Data Crunch, Defense: Bucs ILB Devin White put together a postseason stat line never seen before while Ndamukong Suh became the first player with a postseason sack for four different teams…That and much more

news

Top Three Takeaways from Super Bowl LV

We could talk about this game all day.

news

TD Time for Tommy and Gronky

Super Bowl Data Crunch, Offense: Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski are now the most prolific touchdown duo in NFL postseason history…Plus, the Bucs have nearly matched the all-time record for Super Bowl wins of 20-plus points, and much more

news

Buccaneers Will Celebrate Super Bowl LV Win on the Water

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will hold a socially distant boat parade on Wednesday, February 10, beginning at 1 p.m. in celebration of their Super Bowl LV victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.

news

Twitter Goes Crazy After Bucs Named Super Bowl Champions 

See what players and fans are saying on social media following the Super Bowl win. 

news

Todd Bowles or Leonard Fournette? | Super Bowl LV Game Ball (Non-G.O.A.T. Division)

Tom Brady was the deserving Super Bowl LV MVP, so to make things interesting Carmen Vitali and Scott Smith are here to nominate two people other than the G.O.A.T. for the Game Ball from Sunday's historic victory

news

CHAMPS! BUCS WIN SUPER BOWL LV

The Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs, 31-9, in Super Bowl LV on Sunday night, winning the franchise's second league championship and becoming the first team ever to hoist the Lombardi Trophy on their own home field

news

Tom Brady Named Super Bowl LV MVP

Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady named Super Bowl MVP for the fifth time in his career as he leads Tampa Bay to its second Super Bowl championship in franchise history.

news

Bruce Arians 'Very, Very Confident' Bucs Can Keep Championship Team Intact

Just like last year, the Bucs will have a lot of work to do on their 2021 roster before and after free agency begins but Head Coach Bruce Arians believes the team can keep a 'special' group together because the sky is the limit for them

news

Believe It! Bucs are NFL Champs after Super Bowl LV Win over Chiefs

Tom Brady threw three touchdown passes and won his fourth Super Bowl MVP award as his Buccaneers throttled Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, 31-9, to become the first team ever to win a Super Bowl on its home turf

news

Tom Brady: Bucs Super Bowl Win Was 'Ultimate Team Effort'

QB Tom Brady won his fifth Super Bowl MVP award on Sunday night, and deservedly so, but he says the Bucs' overwhelming 31-9 victory over the Chiefs was the result of an 'amazing group of guys' coming together when it mattered

Latest Headlines

Buccaneers Make Changes to 2026 Coaching Staff

On Thursday, the Bucs parted ways with five assistant coaches, including Offensive Coordinator Josh Grizzard and Special Teams Coordinator Thomas McGaughey, while Tom Moore and Nick Rapone elected to retire

Bucs' Finalized List of 2026 Opponents Includes Cowboys, Chargers, Rams

The Buccaneers landed in second place in the NFC South with Atlanta's win on Sunday, which locked in the final three opponents on the team's 2026 slate, with matchups against Dallas and both L.A. squads

Bucs Sign 14 Players to Futures Contracts for 2026 Season

After their contracts expired following the end of the Bucs' 2025 campaign, 12 of the 17 players who finished the season on the team's practice squad have been re-signed to reserve-futures contracts for 2026

2026 Early Offseason Updates | Bucs Insider

Team Reporter Casey Phillips and Senior Writer/Editor Scott Smith talk about all the latest Bucs news in this week's edition of Bucs Insider. The team discussed coaching staff changes, reserves/future contracts, and the Buccaneers picking #15 in the 2026 NFL draft.

A Compilation of Lavonte David's Career Stats and Accolades 

A trip down memory lane, looking at Lavonte David's prolific tenure in Tampa Bay

Buccaneers' Top Producers in 2025: Defense 

A look at key contributors to the Buccaneers defense in 2025, including Yaya Diaby's pressure count and Jamel Dean's prowess when targeted

A Compilation of Mike Evans' Career Stats and Accolades 

A look down memory lane at Mike Evans' prolific tenure in Tampa Bay 

Buccaneers' Top Producers in 2025: Offense 

A look at key contributors to the Buccaneers offense in 2025, including Baker Mayfield's scrambling ability and Emeka Egbuka's September ascension

Raise the Flags Reaction Podcast: Episodes 5 & 6

Scott Smith, Casey Phillips & Docuseries Director Trent Cooper react to episodes 5 and 6 of Raise the Flags: 50 Seasons of Buccaneers Football. Available now on Prime Video.

Bucs 2025 Draft Class Review | Bucs Blitz 

The Buccaneers-2025 Draft Class played a significant role on the team down the stretch…Here is a look at how this group fared in their respective rookie campaigns

Bryan McClendon Wraps 50th Season | Bucs Total Access

Team Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Buccaneers Wide Receivers Coach Bryan McClendon following the Week 18 game against the Carolina Panthers. They discuss takeaways from the final game of the regular season and his message to the team heading into the offseason.

Todd Bowles: Bucs "Need to Make Some Changes" on Defense

As the Buccaneers' 2026 offseason began on Monday, Head Coach Todd Bowles said a "tough year" for the team's defense necessitates a deep-dive review to assess what changes need to be made going forward

Bryan McClendon Wraps 50th Season | Bucs Total Access

Team Reporter Casey Phillips sits down with Buccaneers Wide Receiver Coach Bryan McClendon following the Week 18 game against the Carolina Panthers. They discuss takeaways from the final game of the regular season and his message to the team heading into the offseason.

Jalen McMillan Credits Mike Evans for Empowering Confidence

Jalen McMillan reflects on 2025, his resolve through injury and encouragement from Mike Evans upon his return to the field

Lavonte David in Hall of Fame Company | Data Crunch

With his final performance of the 2025 season, Lavonte David joined Hall of Famers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher on a short list of players with an impressive combination of career statistics

Todd Bowles Reviews the Bucs' 2025 Season | Press Conference

Tampa Bay Buccaneers Head Coach Todd Bowles spoke to the media following the regular season. HC Bowles discussed his thoughts on the Bucs' 50th season, evaluating to get better and the path going forward.

Bucs Set to Pick 15th in First Round of 2026 NFL Draft

As one of four non-playoff teams to finish with an 8-9 record, the Buccaneers are slotted into the 15th pick of the opening round of this year's draft and will rotate up to 14th and 13th in the next two rounds

Photos: Bucs Cheerleaders from Panthers vs. Bucs | Week 18 2025

View photos of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders from the Panthers vs. Bucs' Week 18 game on January 3rd, 2026.

Tristan Wirfs & Jalen McMillan on Year's Result | Press Conferences

Hear from Tampa Bay Buccaneers T Tristan Wirfs & WR Jalen McMillan following the 2025 NFL Season.

Raise the Flags Reaction Show: Episodes 5 & 6

Scott Smith, Casey Phillips & Docuseries Director Trent Cooper react to episodes 5 and 6 of Raise the Flags: 50 Seasons of Buccaneers Football. Available now on Prime Video.

Advertising Big left arrow icon Big right arrow icon Close icon Copy Url Three dots icon Down arrow icon Email icon Email icon Exit Fullscreen icon External link icon Facebook logo Football icon Facebook logo Instagram logo Snapchat logo YouTube logo TikTok logo Spotify logo LinkedIn logo Grid icon Key icon Left arrow icon Link icon Location icon Mail icon Menu icon Open icon Phone icon Play icon Radio icon Rewind icon Right arrow icon Search icon Select icon Selected icon TV icon Up arrow icon User icon Audio icon Add to calendar iconNFC icon AFC icon NFL icon Carousel IconList ViewWebsite InstagramTwitterFacebookSnapchatShop IconProfile Overlay AvatarAddAirplayArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpArrow DownAudioBack 5sBack 10sBack 30sCalendarChartCheckDownLeftRightUpChromecast OffChromecast OnCloseClosed CaptionsBench OffBench OnBroad OffBroad OnVertical OffVertical OnCommentDockDoneDownloadDraftFantasyFilterForward 5sForward 10sForward 30sFull Screen OffFull Screen OnGamepassGamesInsightsKeyLeaveLiveCombineDraftFantasyMenu GamesMenu NetworkMenu NewsMenu PlayoffsMenu Pro BowlMenu ShopMenu StandingsMenu StatsMenu Super BowlMenu TeamsMenu TicketsMenuMore HorizontalMore VerticalMy LocationNetworkNewsPauseplayMultiple PlayersSingle PlayerPlaylistPlayoffsPro BowlPurgeRefreshRemoveSearchSettingsShare AndroidShare Copy URLShare EmailShare FacebookShare InstagramShare iOSShare SnapchatShare TwitterSkip NextSkip PreviousStandingsStarStatsSwapTeamsTicketsVideoVisibility OffVisibility OnVolume HiVolume LowVolume MediumVolume MuteWarningWebsite Caret downCaret upAtNewsPlayAudioGalleryPromo Chevron right The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. Got it!