MAHOMING IN ON HISTORY
Chiefs star Patrick has a third Super Bowl and Tom Brady’s record in his sights
PATRICK MAHOMES has Tom Brady in his sights but even he thinks he will need a slice of luck to catch the record-breaking quarterback.
Brady’s 23-year career saw him reach the Super
Bowl 10 times, emerging as champion on seven occasions.
No other player in
NFL history can match either of those numbers.
But as he prepares to play in his fourth Super Bowl in the past six seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback is emerging as the one candidate to rival Brady’s achievements.
With a chance to win his third Super Bowl tomorrow night against the San Francisco 49ers, at 28, Mahomes would still be 17 years younger than Brady when he retired last year.
“I’m not even close to halfway so I haven’t put a lot of thought into it,” said Mahomes, as he prepared to take the field at Allegiant Stadium.
“Your goal is to be the best player you can be. So right now it’s doing whatever I can to beat a great 49ers team and try to get that third ring.
“Then if you ask me that question in 15 years, I’ll see if I can get close to seven but seven seems like a long way away.
“You want to play as long as they’ll let you. It takes a lot of work – taking care of your body, eating healthily, trying to get rid of the ‘dad bod’ that I got, doing whatever you can to be healthy. Fifteen years seems like a long time but Brady (below) did it and some other guys have done it so I’m going to see if I can do it as well.
“If I can still go out there and have success and love it every single day, and put the time and effort into it, I’ll play. I’ll do whatever I can to keep doing that.”
Seven seasons into his career, and in his sixth year as the starter, Mahomes already has the experience of a full career, having won and lost the big game. Losing certainly left its mark.
“You’re always going to have nerves going into the Super Bowl,” he said. “It’s about embracing those nerves, then going out there and being who you are.
“My first one was the most nervous I’ve ever been but now it’s just about playing the game.
“I’ve lost a Super Bowl and I know how bad that hurts. You want to make sure you stay away from that feeling.
“When you lose it and you’re in that locker room, and you feel like you’re that close and you didn’t get it, I’m almost addicted to staying away from that feeling.”
Unlike teammate Travis Kelce, who is living his relationship with Taylor Swift in a glaring spotlight, Mahomes married his high school sweetheart, Brittany, in 2022. They have two children, daughter Sterling (2) and son Patrick (1).
As much as he is a leader while in helmet and pads, he now knows there is just as important a job waiting for him at home.
“When you become a dad it changes your perspective on everything. I try to do whatever I can to be an example by how hard I work, how I carry myself inside when I’m at home and try to be that example for them every day.”