EXCLUSIVE
Patrick Mahomes fired by the one thing that eluded Tom Brady’s Patriots Super Bowl dynasty
The greats stand up to be counted on the biggest stage.
That is why there are few who would argue against Tom Brady being the GOAT.
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Seven rings is one hell of an argument.
But with three triumphs under his belt by the age of 29, Patrick Mahomes has a chance to make his own case.
After winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy for the first time in the 2018 season, Mahomes had a chance to go back-to-back.
Instead, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to glory - answering any questions over whether Bill Belichick was the real mastermind with the New England Patriots.
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At 43 years old, he also became the oldest Super Bowl MVP to put an exclamation point on his glittering resume before moving into the booth and boardroom.
That defeat may turn out to be all the motivation Mahomes needs in his own quest for immortality.
Kansas City beat writer Pete Sweeney believes that as he is unable to take on his old foe on the field, the Chiefs superstar now has his heart set on achieving one of the few things the retired great couldn't - a three-peat.
"And I also think, a thing that they wouldn't talk about, this is not something that Patrick Mahomes would ever embrace, he lost to Tom Brady in the Super Bowl," he exclusively told talkSPORT in November.
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"I don't think Mahomes wants to be the best right now. I think he wants to be the best of all time.
"And so if you're gonna be the best of all time, having lost to Tom Brady in the Super Bowl, you need to do something that Tom Brady was never able to do.
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"He did back-to-back. He was never able to get three in a row and he was never able to complete an undefeated season. He almost did. So those are two very motivating factors I think about 2024."
The Chiefs have hit form just at the right time this season after a relatively sluggish start by their own standards.
Sweeney thinks Mahomes' mindset is the driving force.
"I think what sticks out to me about Mahomes is even when he's playing something like locker room basketball, or you hear about off season stories when he's golfing, he just wants to kick the other person's a**. Like it doesn't even matter what sport it is," he added.
"You certainly see that in the NFL. He's an ultra competitor.
"I think back to 2019, when they won their first one in this era, they had also won one in 1969. And I think there's so much going on in the world.
"You had just finally won the championship. You could tell that they wanted to do it. But of course you had those moments during the regular season when you were like, this isn't the high of the highs. And then they ended up losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"And I think that was a key moment because it helped Mahomes and some of those players that are now a little bit older realise like, this isn't just going to happen, right?
"And now I think they're hungry. Like they were hungry for the back to back and they're even hungrier in my opinion for what is the three-peat, because I just think they see so much history that can be made here."
Just two more opponents stand between Mahomes and his historic treble. Josh Allen has already lost to him three times in the postseason and will be desperate not to make his own unwanted history as the first QB to drop four-straight playoff games to a rival.
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He has never been to the biggest game in football - just like Washington Commanders rookie sensation Jayden Daniels who meets Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the NFC showdown.
Mahomes is going for a fifth appearance - still only half of Brady's scarcely believable 10 trips to put his incredible longevity into perspective.
Patrick Mahomes tells Josh Allen that the Kansas City Chiefs will win the Super Bowl again even after their defeat to the Buffalo Bills
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