The victory of the Kansas City Chiefs over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII propelled Patrick Mahomes into the elite ranks of all-time great quarterbacks. At just 28 years old, Mahomes has already matched Tom Brady’s three Super Bowl rings by the same age and is on track to surpass him in almost every significant passing statistic.
While Brady’s achievements may seem daunting, it’s worth noting that he didn’t win his fourth Lombardi Trophy until he was 37. He continued to improve over time, with his most impressive statistical seasons occurring after turning 30.
If Mahomes can similarly maintain his high level of performance as he ages, he could retire as the greatest of all time (GOAT). Here are 10 statistics that underscore his current dominance compared to his peers:
1. Mahomes has won three Super Bowl MVPs, tying him with Joe Montana and trailing only Brady, who has five.
2. He has orchestrated five playoff comebacks when his team trailed by at least 10 points. Since 2018, the Chiefs have won five out of seven playoff games in such situations, while the rest of the NFL has struggled, winning only eight out of 63.
3. Mahomes has won 15 playoff games, second only to Brady (35) and Montana (16). He boasts an impressive 15-3 record in his first six postseasons, losing just once in regulation.
4. With 41 playoff passing touchdowns, Mahomes surpasses Brett Favre’s record of 23 before turning 29, and Brady’s 15 at the same age.
5. His playoff interception rate is just 1.2%, the lowest among the top 20 quarterbacks with the most playoff passing attempts.
6. Mahomes has a combined regular season and playoff winning percentage of 78%, the highest among quarterbacks with at least 100 starts. The Chiefs have a remarkable 89-25 record with Mahomes at the helm.
7. His career regular-season EPA/play of 0.292 is the highest among quarterbacks with at least 1,000 plays since 1999, surpassing Peyton Manning’s 0.250.
8. In the playoffs, Mahomes’ EPA/play of 0.312 is not only the highest among quarterbacks with at least 100 playoff plays but also exceeds his own regular-season mark, despite facing stronger defenses.
9. Mahomes performs significantly better when his team faces a win probability of 10-25%, with a career EPA/play of 0.342 in such situations.
10. He excels under pressure in the last five minutes of games, with a career EPA/play of 0.385, the best among quarterbacks with at least 200 qualifying plays since 1999.