3-Peat Would Make Chiefs' Mahomes This Generation's Michael Jordan
![Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Confetti falls as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after defeating the Buffalo Bills during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Confetti falls as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrates after defeating the Buffalo Bills during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5085,h_2860,x_0,y_283/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/arrowhead_report/01jjspx7f7sf782q91zj.jpg)
In less than two weeks, the Kansas City Chiefs will be on the precipice of NFL history: they have the opportunity to win their third Super Bowl in a row, a first in the century-old timeline of the league.
The Chiefs have become a dynasty whether they win or lose in Super Bowl LIX. Head coach Andy Reid, general manager Brett Veach and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo have been the building blocks for what Kansas City has become over the last seven years.
Yet, it’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes who has been the biggest reason for the team’s success since 2018 when their string of consecutive AFC Championships began. Drafted in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft after the Chiefs traded up for him, Mahomes sat behind veteran Alex Smith before getting the start in the regular season finale against the Denver Broncos. The flashes appeared but no one expected him to become what he is today.
In his first full season as the starter, Mahomes threw for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, and the rest became history. The former Texas Tech Red Raiders standout has gone on to win three Super Bowls including the last two while simultaneously taking over the NFL as the best signal-caller in the game.
Not only has Mahomes become arguably the best overall player in the league, he’s become one of the all-time greats at quarterback by his seventh season. His physical traits and now-incredible football intelligence has made him an inevitable force in the regular season and postseason.
If Mahomes were to pull-off the first ever Super Bowl three-peat, there is a great argument to be had that he has entered the realm or likes of the great football player of all-time, Tom Brady. Not only that, it would be time to consider Mahomes as the Michael Jordan of the NFL. These may sound like fighting words but they shouldn’t because the three-time Super Bowl MVP would earn that right.
The AFC has run through Kansas City for the better part of seven years and it’s a conference that has Hall of Fame talent at quarterback in Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson, Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen, and Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Burrow. The latter is just the second QB in the last seven years to defeat Mahomes and Chiefs in the AFC Championship or the Super Bowl. The other is Brady.
Mahomes has been the reason why guys like Allen, Jackson and even Burrow a few years ago from reaching the promised land. Since 2020, Allen and the Bills have not been able to get by Kansas City no matter how much talent they have. Lamar Jackson, a soon-to-be three-time league MVP, has fallen short as recently as last year when the Ravens were on the door step.
It’s Jordan-esque, similar to how players such as Charles Barkley, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, or Hakeem Olajuwon could never get past or take down His Airness.
Brady is the closest comparison to what many are seeing Mahomes do but not at this rate. Brady went 10 years before winning his fourth Lombardi Trophy. Mahomes has a chance to do it in his seventh year in the pros. His rise to stardom is rare and Brady himself never put up the type of numbers we’re seeing from No. 15 this early in their respective careers.
Mahomes makes the type of plays and throws that make your head spin, forcing defenses to always be on their heels and hyperaware of the danger that lies ahead of them. Jordan did the same thing: nobody could stop him. Brady stopped the two-time league MVP four years ago but since then, it’s been the Mahomes show.
Of course, this argument will likely not mean much if anything if the Philadelphia Eagles avenged their loss to the Chiefs two years ago. Yet, this conversation is in play in less than two weeks time.
Mahomes is already an all-time great quarterback and could eventually be considered the greatest to ever play this sport. A fourth Lombardi Trophy would send him into a realm we may never see again.