As Super Bowl LIX approached, many media personalities expressed that a victory for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes could stir the NFL GOAT debate. However, following the Chiefs’ significant defeat to the Eagles, FS1’s Colin Cowherd argued that Mahomes’ legacy may now be permanently tarnished.
While the box score shows Mahomes threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, much of this occurred in the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach for the Chiefs. The first half was especially rough, with the Chiefs managing just 23 yards of offense and entering the third quarter down 24-0. Mahomes also struggled throughout the game, committing three turnovers that directly led to scoring drives for the Eagles, which has drawn considerable scrutiny.
Colin Cowherd was particularly harsh, describing Mahomes’ performance as the “ugliest Super Bowl performance of our lives” on Tuesday’s edition of The Herd. He stated, “Mahomes this season, you started really hearing about it in September and October. If he wins a third, I think we have a new GOAT. But he finished the regular season with the 16th-highest passer rating and just delivered arguably the ugliest Super Bowl performance in history. To put it in perspective, if you consider only the last 12 years of Tom Brady’s career, he boasts four Super Bowl wins, an MVP, and over 54,000 passing yards—more than John Elway. He also has 20 playoff wins during this same period, the highest of any quarterback ever. Just reflect on that.
“Old Brady faced Patrick Mahomes, defeated him in the Super Bowl, and also bested him in overtime at Arrowhead during the AFC Championship. In a game of inches, Brady stands several hundred yards ahead of number two, be it Joe Montana, John Elway, Peyton Manning, or Patrick Mahomes. Now, one could argue that if Mahomes had won on Sunday, it would have changed perceptions. But it’s not just the loss; for the second time in a Super Bowl, Mahomes was abysmal. He didn’t adapt, was outmatched, and looked rattled. Such a performance undoubtedly leaves its mark.”
Colin Cowherd on Patrick Mahomes: “The ugliest Super Bowl performance arguably of our lives… In a game of inches, Brady is several hundred yards from number two… It’s not just that he lost. It’s for the second time in a Super Bowl, he was AWFUL.”pic.twitter.com/5dxHtSJI2H
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 12, 2025
While it may seem like revisionist history for Cowherd to label Mahomes’ performance as one of the “ugliest” in Super Bowl history, examples like Rich Gannon’s five interceptions in Super Bowl XXVII, Kerry Collins’ 112 passing yards and four interceptions in Super Bowl XXXV, or Craig Morton’s four completions and four interceptions in Super Bowl XII also come to mind. However, none of these players are in the GOAT conversation, which lends some credibility to Cowherd’s criticism of Mahomes, especially given the significantly higher standards by which he is evaluated compared to previous quarterbacks.
