Are Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid the Next Tom Brady and Bill Belichick?
The Kansas City Chiefs finally got to the mountaintop for the first time in 50 years after an impressive win in Super Bowl 54 over the San Francisco 49ers. It’s a significant milestone early in star quarterback Patrick Mahomes‘ career while it finally cements head coach Andy Reid‘s legacy as one of the greatest coaches in league history. It has brought forth the conversation about the promising future ahead with Mahomes and Reid at the helm. That begs the question of whether the franchise can reach comparable success that the New England Patriots have had over the last two decades with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady.
Patriots are the gold standard in the NFL
Over the last 20 years, the Patriots have experienced a tremendous amount of success, with Belichick and Brady leading the charge for the franchise.
New England has been unmatched in that regard over that span as that has seen them reach the Super Bowl nine times with six wins during that span. The Patriots have 17 AFC East division titles and have reached the AFC title game 13 times, including an NFL record of eight straight appearances to that contest. During Belichick’s tenure, he holds the NFL records with 42 playoff games and 31 wins.
That has seen Brady set the Super Bowl record with four MVPs along with the all-time marks on that stage for passing yards (2,576), passing touchdowns (18), completions (256), and attempts (392). Since he became the starting quarterback in 2001, the franchise has never had a losing season and fallen short of a double-digit win campaign just once.
The Patriots have set the bar high with their continued success that has seen them stay in the Super Bowl contender window annually with Belichick and Brady in tow. However, that could be coming to an end with Brady potentially departing in free agency, which could put the Chiefs on track to be the next dynasty.
Chiefs’ turn next with Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid?
In just his third season in the league, Mahomes has reached a significant milestone with his first Super Bowl win. It has made him the youngest player in league history to earn an MVP award and Super Bowl victory.
It’s not just a one-year wonder for the Chiefs as they have become a powerhouse in the NFL over the last couple of years with Mahomes. Kansas City with back-to-back AFC West division titles with their star quarterback, and the fourth straight overall for the franchise.
It also marked the first time in team history that they have reached back-to-back AFC Championship games. It’s quite early to draw any comparison to what the Patriots have done, but they are beginning to head on a similar path that New England started with, but there’s saw them win three Super Bowls in the first four years with Brady as the starter.
The bar is set extremely high, but Mahomes looks to be that exceptional talent that could take them to that type of success over the next decade-plus.
Patrick Mahomes knows what it will take
The Chiefs certainly have a long way to go before they can truly be compared to the likes of the Patriots in regards to sustained success.
However, Mahomes looks to possess the right mindset that will push him along towards one day reaching those lofty aspirations. (H/T Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star)
“I believe in maximizing every single day. That’s the thing with me,” Mahomes replied. “Obviously I’ve had a good start to my career. I’ve been blessed to be in a great organization with a lot of great players around me that make my job easier.
“But I know it’s gonna take a long time of consistency if I wanna be where I wanna be in the end. I’m lucky enough that I have a lot of great people around me that I have a chance to go out there every single year and compete.”
With Reid not looking to retire anytime soon and Mahomes looking like he will have his best years ahead of him over the next decade, the Chiefs will have their opportunity to build something special in Kansas City for years to come.
