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Not only was this past weekend Championship Sunday in the NFL, but we also were treated to the epic first trailer of “Godzilla vs. Kong.” It's only fitting that this battle between giants took center stage on Sunday, because that's the kind of epic matchup we're going to get in Super Bowl 55 when Patrick Mahomes takes on Tom Brady.
There’s always a lot at stake when teams face off in the Super Bowl, but even more so when the Kansas City Chiefs face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 7. A win would give the Chiefs back-to-back Super Bowls and establish themselves as the NFL’s next dynasty. The Buccaneers, meanwhile, could make history and become the first team to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium after ending a 13-year playoff drought.
But aside from the teams, the game also carries tremendous importance for Mahomes and Brady and could help define their legacies.
With six Super Bowl championships, Brady is widely considered to be the greatest quarterback of all time. But Mahomes is the best quarterback right now, with three AFC Championship Game appearances, two Super Bowl appearances (one win so far), and an MVP in his first three seasons as a starter. Given he is still just 25 years old, he’s also likely the only one with a chance to catch up to Brady as the greatest at the position.
It’s rare that a player considered the greatest of all time gets a chance to face the greatest player on the planet, and the fact that it’s happening in the biggest game of the season makes Super Bowl 55 even more compelling. Brady and Mahomes previously met in the AFC Championship Game two years ago, which the New England Patriots won in overtime, 37-31, to advance to Super Bowl 53, eventually winning Brady’s sixth title.
The last time Brady and Mahomes met in the playoffs, absolute electric factory
— uSTADIUM Fantasy (@uSTADIUMFantasy) January 25, 2021
Since then, Mahomes has also become a champion after leading Kansas City past the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 54. Much like Brady, Mahomes seems to have a knack for comebacks and plays his best when the lights are brightest. In the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the Chiefs found themselves down 9-0 after the first quarter. But like they did during last season’s Super Bowl run, Kansas City went on a scoring binge, dropping 21 unanswered points to take a 21-12 halftime lead that was never relinquished.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs so routinely make comebacks in big games that they’ve made it seem inevitable, and doing it against Tom Brady on the biggest stage would only improve his legacy even as he enters his prime. But the 43-year-old quarterback is himself known as a comeback king, as he helped engineer come-from-behind wins against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 49 and against the Atlanta Falcons with the epic 25-point comeback in Super Bowl 51.
Brady didn’t need a comeback against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers in the NFC Championship Game. The Buccaneers jumped out to a lead and held off the Packers to advance to Brady's 10th Super Bowl, which is five more appearances than the closest quarterback in John Elway. The three-time MVP had some struggles early in the season after a short offseason when he joined the Buccaneers, but they have been on a roll as of late, and Brady has proven that he can win without Patriots head coach Bill Belichick patrolling the sidelines.
With Mahomes at the peak of his powers and a dynamic offense that features tight end Travis Kelce and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs are favored to win over the Buccaneers, with Mahomes emerging as the betting favorite for Super Bowl MVP. But Brady has won more titles than any player, and his years of playoff experience could be a factor in the game, especially when he knows the importance of the game for his legacy.
Brady's opponent is aware of his tremendous experience:
“Yeah I mean, the Super Bowl is the Super Bowl. Being able to go up against one of the greatest, if not the greatest quarterback of all time in his 150th Super Bowl,” Mahomes joked to reporters following the Chiefs’ 38-24 win over the Bills, per CBS Sports.
Over the years, the Super Bowl has given fans compelling storylines, brilliant performances, and thrilling, highly competitive games. But rarely has it featured a matchup between a legend like Tom Brady and a legend in the making like Patrick Mahomes.
Even this early, Super Bowl 55 already has the makings of a classic that will be remembered for years to come.
