Patrick Mahomes had no trouble appreciating the milestone, even if he knows it’s only a checkpoint, not the destination.
After the Kansas City Chiefs’ 22-6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, Mahomes tied Tom Brady for the fewest games started to reach 100 victories, getting there in 131 starts. On Monday, he addressed the moment and made clear what it meant to share any statistical space with the former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers star.
“My honest first reaction is they’ve said this from 97 on,” Mahomes explained. “I’m like, 'When did Tom lose another game?'
Because I feel every game I win, I tie him. But in all seriousness, it’s always an honor to be in any conversation as far as winning football with him.
That’s the GOAT. He knows how to win football better than anyone really in any other sport.
And so, if you can be mentioned in any category with him, it’s special.”
Brady, who retired for good in February 2023, finished his career as a seven-time Super Bowl champion and five-time Super Bowl MVP. Mahomes, who turned 31 in September, has already built an impressive résumé of his own with three Super Bowl titles and three Super Bowl MVP awards.
Mahomes said the way Kansas City is winning right now is a sign of growth, even if the box score doesn’t always match the kind of fireworks he’d prefer.
“As I’ve gone throughout my career, I think I’ve gotten better and better at winning," Mahomes continued following Sunday's victory. "You know, it’s not always pretty.
It’s not always how I want it to be. I want to throw three touchdowns, four touchdowns, and I want to put up big stats.
But whenever your defense is playing like they are [Sunday], you can’t force it."
He also stressed that the bigger chase is still very much ahead of him.
"There’s so many more games I have to win and Super Bowls and all that different type of stuff," Mahomes added. "All I can focus on is [Sunday] and winning [Sunday] and then moving on to the Seahawks this next week.
I mean, [Brady], he’s got 15 more years. I’m only 30.
I’m 31. He’s played to 45.
So, that’s a long way away. But, like I said, it’s always an honor to be in any conversation with him and the way he played the game because that’s how you want to play it.
You want to be a competitor. You want to win, and you want to bring your teammates along.
And that’s who I want to be as my career goes on."
Kansas City enters its next test with plenty of momentum. As of Monday afternoon, DraftKings Sportsbook listed the undefeated Chiefs among the top Super Bowl LXI favorites at +800.
The Chiefs will next take the field on Oct. 25 in a "Sunday Night Football" matchup at the Seattle Seahawks, who are 3-3 and the defending Super Bowl champions. DraftKings also had Kansas City as a 2.5-point road underdog for that game at Lumen Field.
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