Would Tom Brady have been a four-quarter no-show in a Super Bowl like Mahomes was against the Eagles?

As it turns out, all Tom Brady needs to do to ruin a playoff game for Patrick Mahomes is be in the building. He went into Kansas City to win the 2018-19 AFC Championship Game, beat the Chiefs in a Super Bowl two years later, and now, he was on the mic as a commentator for Mahomes’s second Super Bowl loss.

Leading up to the game, there was plenty of talk that Mahomes could steal Brady’s crown as the greatest quarterback in NFL history by completing a historic “three-peat,” but in the eyes of many, that opportunity is gone with the loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It’s not just the fact that Mahomes and the Chiefs lost- the offense accomplished nothing, putting up just six points in the first 57 minutes of the game before the Chiefs snagged back a pair of consolation touchdowns against backup defenders.

Perhaps the loudest voice in sports media, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, thinks that the Brady-Mahomes debate is over. Check out his take on the subject below.

.@stephenasmith says for right now, the NFL GOAT debate is "officially over" after Super Bowl LIX 😯 pic.twitter.com/Lg1ws7bzCj

— First Take (@FirstTake) February 10, 2025

Smith did indicate that years down the road, there could be something to talk about, but as the facts stand right now, there’s no debate whatsoever. He made the point that Mahomes has already thrown more interceptions in his five Super Bowls than Brady did in his 10, and even provided a contrast with the fact that San Francisco 49ers legend Joe Montana never threw a pick in his four appearances in the biggest game.

This was the second Super Bowl loss for Mahomes, and the second blowout after losing 31-9 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV. The Eagles were up 40-6 before that late flurry of Chiefs scoring, due in large part to a pick six and another interception by Mahomes that set up a short field for Philly in the first half.

The Chiefs are most certainly at a crossroads, and with them, so is Mahomes. This year, they didn’t exhibit the high-flying offensive style that helped them break out as contenders in 2018 and beyond, instead opting to slice and dice with short, precise plays. It won them plenty of games, as they started the season with a 15-1 record before effectivley punting their final regular-season game.

However, after falling behind against Philly, the Chiefs weren’t able to get back into the game against a brutal pass-rush. Now, after being put under more intense scrutiny, the regular season isn’t quite holding up, as plenty of the wins were very narrow and secured in shocking fashion.

Change could be on the way in Kansas City, with key figures of the dynasty like tight end Travis Kelce and even head coach Andy Reid potentially calling it quits. If Mahomes wants to get back into the GOAT debate, he’ll need to weather the storm of his Chiefs rethinking their approach and retooling the roster, perhaps with a focus on re-emphasizing his unique physical gifts.