The Sun (Lowell)

Langone

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longer than “War and Peace.”

Brady has won three MVPS, he’s a 14-time Pro Bowler, he’s led the league in touchdown passes four times and passing yards three times. Age doesn’t seem to matter for him. He’s like a real-life Benjamin Button and a walking endorsemen­t for pliability and avocado ice cream.

It’s just been remarkable, and he deserves enormous credit.

But here’s the caveat: Mahomes is coming full-speed toward Brady and is doing things at a young age that we have never seen a quarterbac­k do.

That’s why this Super Bowl does in fact matter for Brady. It’s not merely icing on a gluten-free cake. There is more that Brady can prove and, in the process, also protect the future of his legacy.

Mahomes is playing in his second straight Super Bowl, after his MVP performanc­e led the Chiefs to a win over the San Francisco 49ers last year. He’s also been a regular season MVP and a three-time Pro Bowler. For his three-year career as a starter, he’s 38-8 in the regular season with 114 touchdown passes and just 24 intercepti­ons.

He’s 6-1 in the playoffs with 17 touchdown passes, six touchdown runs and just two intercepti­ons. He’s been to at least the AFC Championsh­ip game every year he’s been a starter.

That one playoff loss? Well, that came against Brady in the AFC title game on Jan. 20, 2019. The Patriots won, 37-31, in overtime. Mahomes outplayed Brady in that game but he never saw the ball in OT. If he had, the Chiefs would likely be playing for their third straight championsh­ip.

Watching Mahomes play football will put you in a constant haze of astonishme­nt. He does things that you didn’t think a QB could do, and he makes it look easy.

Brady has never been the most talented quarterbac­k. He has a strong arm, for sure. But his brilliant career has mainly been about intelligen­ce, composure, decision-making and being clutch.

Mahomes possesses all of those intangible­s, as well. On top of that, he’s an elite athlete, who can run and extend plays, and has otherworld­ly arm strength.

If Brady can beat Mahomes in Super Bowl LV, it will further elevate his status, and it will knock Mahomes down a giant peg in his pursuit of Brady. A win for the 43-year-old over the 25-year-old sensation would be the ultimate mic drop, and would really be a fitting finale to Brady’s career, although he shows no signs of wanting to retire.

If Mahomes wins, he’ll be in uncharted territory and well on his way to new heights with (health permitting) at least 10 more years to build on his accomplish­ments.

Brady didn’t win his second Super Bowl until he was 26. He didn’t win his seventh playoff game until he was 27. He didn’t throw his 17th postseason TD pass until he was 29.

No matter what happens, we’ll be watching two of the best to ever take the field.

But don’t be fooled, legacy implicatio­ns are always at stake.

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