It was just last week that discussions about the greatest of all time (GOAT) status between Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady filled the air, all under the assumption that the Kansas City Chiefs would defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, achieving an extraordinary three-peat. But as the saying goes, what a difference a week makes. The Chiefs’ 40-22 loss not only solidified Brady’s position as the Greatest of All-Time — who called the game for Fox — but also significantly diminished any ongoing debates about Mahomes’ status for the foreseeable future. While it was always clear that Mahomes would leave New Orleans with at least three fewer Lombardi Trophies than Brady’s seven, the notion of a potential three-peat has now been reset. It will take Mahomes at least three more years — and likely longer — to achieve anything that Brady didn’t from a Super Bowl perspective.
So, what can Patrick Mahomes do to reignite the GOAT debate that seemed so promising just days prior? Stephen A. Smith provided insight on this matter. “What Mahomes needs to do to get in the GOAT conversation again: You gotta win two more titles. ‘Cause you gotta get at least five,” Smith said on Wednesday’s episode of First Take. “And the reason why you’ve got to get at least five, you gotta overcome the two bad performances in the Super Bowl.”
Stephen A. Smith: “What Mahomes needs to do to get in the GOAT conversation again: You gotta win two more titles. ‘Cause you gotta get at least five. And the reason why you’ve got to get at least five, you gotta overcome the two bad performances in the Super Bowl.” pic.twitter.com/V4NBeOmgFc
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 12, 2025
Smith also emphasized that Mahomes hasn’t just led the Chiefs to two Super Bowl losses; both defeats — including one against Tom Brady’s Buccaneers in the 2020 season — were significant blowouts. In contrast, Brady’s three Super Bowl losses were by margins of three, four, and eight points, suggesting that his losses were less humiliating than Mahomes’ current experiences. “In the Super Bowl losses to Tampa Bay and now Philadelphia, he’s been outscored by 40. Both games, they’ve lost by more than 18 points. Only he and John Elway share that distinction as starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl,” Smith noted. “That’s hard to overcome. One title ain’t gonna do that. You need two more to get back in the conversation.”
However, while not all losses are created equal, the same reasoning can apply to wins. Smith believes that Mahomes doesn’t necessarily need to match Brady’s seven titles for the debate to reignite. For now, though, it seems we are in for at least a two-year hiatus from the GOAT conversation, according to one of sports media’s most prominent debaters. His criteria will undoubtedly be front and center if the Chiefs find themselves competing in the Super Bowl again a year from now.
