Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls yet was unable to accomplish a threepeat in his career. Neither has anyone else as the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is poised to make history should he accomplish the feat with two more wins. And if he pulls it off, he’ll immediately and irreversibly become the greatest quarterback in NFL history per Stephen A. Smith, who delivered the white-hot take with casual ease on Wednesday’s First Take.
“Tom Brady didn’t even win back-to-back-to-back Super Bowl titles.” 😯 @stephenasmith says a Chiefs three-peat would “cement” Patrick Mahomes as the greatest QB in NFL history 👀 pic.twitter.com/31VXvOa9AP
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 22, 2025
Smith’s argument is based largely on the way the game has evolved and how great the athletes have become over the years. Which makes some sense but does feel a bit undercut because it also means the modern quarterback would have better protectors and playmakers at their disposal.
Brady won Super Bowls in the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons. There was a 9-7 season in 2002 wedged in their that prevented him from putting together a fourpeat. If having a good but not great season in the second full year of starting is the thing that sways who the greatest quarterback of all time is as opposed to total Super Bowl rings, longevity, postseason prowess that lean in Brady’s favor right now then that’s a weird thing to hang it all on.
Which is not to say that Mahomes won’t get to that elevated mountaintop. A threepeat would be huge in advancing his case. Neither quarterback should feel the least bit slighted in the same way that Michael Jordan and LeBron James should be honored to even be involved in the most played-out debate in sports media. Which soon might get some company.
