Bledsoe, who Brady surpassed as starter with the New England Patriots, says his old teammate's longevity is a huge factor
He may not be there just yet, but New England Patriots legend Drew Bledsoe believes Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is the only player right now who can reach greatest-of-all-time status alongside Tom Brady.
Mahomes, at 28 years old, possesses three Super Bowl rings, including back-to-back titles in 2022 and 2023. The GOAT label has been pinned on him by many who believe he is already one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.
However, Brady is arguably the greatest to ever play quarterback in the history of the game, and he has four more Super Bowl rings on his illustrious Hall of Fame resume.
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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, #15, warms up before the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 10, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. (David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
So, while Bledsoe believes Mahomes has what it takes to reach Brady's "rarefied air," he knows one key factor will need to be a part of his career to solidify that status: longevity.
"The amazing thing about Tom and what he was able to do was how long he was able to do it for," Bledsoe explained while discussing what FanDuel has to offer NFL fans this 2024 season. "The physical demands on a quarterback – compare like Brady and [NBA superstar] LeBron [James] going that long with what they’re doing. They’re very different things from a physical standpoint. Playing quarterback, physically, is not that demanding. You got to take care of yourself and so on.
"The fact that Tom was able to maintain his focus and his attention to detail, and he was able to do the little things over and over and over again for 20-something years, that part is impressive. Because no matter what you do in life, how exciting it is, once you’ve done it long enough, it can get kinda monotonous. Tom was able to keep pushing that entire time."
Mahomes is still in his prime, and from the outside looking in, he has many years left to give in the NFL. However, to Bledsoe's point, just how long does Mahomes want to keep playing quarterback?
"For Mahomes, it’s going to be interesting to see how long he wants to do it," he said. "Whether he wants to go do something else. If he keeps doing what he’s doing, Andy Reid wants to keep coaching for a long time, [tight end Travis] Kelce can keep playing for him, and then they keep replacing and giving him more weapons, he could end up [alongside Brady]."
While the longevity question must be answered in time, Bledsoe, like the rest of NFL fans, is enjoying what Mahomes brings to the game each season.
Additionally, he does believe that Mahomes' magic that we see weekly on the field is something that he can say even Brady did not possess.
Drew Bledsoe attends the Netflix live comedy event "The Greatest Roast of All Time: Tom Brady" at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, on May 5, 2024. (MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)
"He’s been one of one. There’s really never been somebody quite like him that can make the throws that he can make – off balance, on the run," Bledsoe, who was drafted first overall by the Patriots in 1993, said. "He’s with a great coach, obviously. He’s still got Kelce who’s still going and playing at an extremely high level.
"He’s building a legacy, but in terms of who he is just in playing the game, I think he’s in rarefied air in terms of what he’s able to do on a football field."
While Brady has seven Super Bowl titles under his belt, Mahomes and the Chiefs are looking to do what no team in the NFL has been able to in its history: win three championships in a row.
The Chiefs needed overtime to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in February, and once again, it was Mahomes doing what he does best in crunch time to set up the game-winning touchdown pass to wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
It was Mahomes' 16th game-winning drive of his career, but he has a long way to go to catch Brady, who leads the NFL all-time with 58.
Fans could go back and forth with career stats, though Brady trumps Mahomes in most due to how long he played. However, in terms of elite talent and winning championships, Mahomes is on his way to joining the greatest to ever play under center.
Former NFL quarterback Tom Brady looks on prior to a game between the Michigan Panthers and the Memphis Showboats at Ford Field on May 18, 2024 in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/UFL/Getty Images)
That is the legacy Bledsoe and many others see developing right in front of their eyes. Whether he gets to sit next to Brady, or even surpass him one day, remains to be seen.
WATCHING MAHOMES & MORE THANKS TO FANDUEL
Bledsoe is excited to watch Mahomes and the rest of the NFL's best this season with the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube and YouTube TV, which FanDuel is helping fans get.
Fans who place a $5 wager on the NFL this season through FanDuel will receive a three-week free trial for NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV, allowing them to watch any game across the league.
"I’ve been a big fan of the move the NFL made to take the Sunday Ticket to YouTube and YouTube TV, simply because it works," Bledsoe, who said he partnered with FanDuel because of how important responsible gaming is to them, explained.
"It’s a simple interface and works great."
New England Patriots Hall of Famer Drew Bledsoe, center, discusses Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes being compared to his former teammate Tom Brady, right. (Getty Images)
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
