Fresh off a second Super Bowl win in a row, there's plenty at stake for the Kansas City Chiefs entering the 2024-25 campaign. If Andy Reid's club can accomplish a three-peat, it would be the only team in NFL history to do so. That'd put the organization in rarefied air even more than it already has, further cementing a dynasty to stand for decades to come.
There are also some personal storylines to monitor, namely the legacy of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. A three-time champion before turning 29 years old, the two-time NFL MVP is off to the best start to an NFL career. With Reid and general manager Brett Veach locked up on contract extensions, the infrastructure is present for continued success. How big of an impact would a three-peat have on Mahomes himself, though?
According to a former defensive lineman who won a Super Bowl with Steve Spagnuolo and the New York Giants, it'd make him the greatest of all time.
On a recent episode of UnSportsmanLike on ESPN Radio, NFL alum Chris Canty spoke highly of Mahomes's status among league legends. Casting aside Tom Brady, the consensus best quarterback in NFL history, Canty said a Chiefs three-peat would be the deciding factor between Mahomes and every other signal-caller to play football.
"He would be the top," Canty said. "You three-peat in the NFL? You're the GOAT. I mean, if he wins three championships in a row in the NFL, in a league that is designed more so than any of these other sports leagues to have parity... if he wins three in a row, given all of the different iterations of the Kansas City Chiefs that we've seen, then he's the damn GOAT."
Would a third championship in a row really make Patrick Mahomes the GOAT?
Less than a decade into his playing career, Mahomes is already tied with Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman for having the third-most rings as a quarterback. His next one, in Canty's scenario, puts him in a three-way tie with Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana. Brady leads the way with seven, a figure that may not be matched by anyone. It's unfair to hold Mahomes to that standard, especially considering individual prowess versus the NFL being a team-oriented sport.
Look no further than all-time greats like Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino. After winning his first Super Bowl, Rodgers never got back and is now chasing ghosts at the age of 40. Marino, who Mahomes drew comps to when he started lighting the NFL world up, never won a championship. Even Drew Brees is a one-time winner. Despite that, it'd be foolish to deny any of those players of their rightful places as likely top-10 quarterbacks to ever come through the league.
With that said, Mahomes is in an interesting place. If he won a fourth ring (and a third in a row), he'd continue along his path of having easily the most impressive career to that point. If he retired next February, he'd do so as a first-ballot Hall of Fame candidate and one of the five best field generals in league history without question. On the other hand, he'd be severely lacking in the longevity category, which is a pillar of the case for Brady being most folks' greatest to do it.
In this writer's opinion, Mahomes is on track to go down as either the best or second-best quarterback to step on a field. He's passed plenty of current and historical peers by now. A third Super Bowl ring in three years would be a massive legacy boost and something no one can take away from him.
If that's accounted for, though, his current leaderboard rankings for counting stats must also be factored in as well. He isn't the GOAT yet, and he still may not be if the Chiefs hoist the Lombardi Trophy once again in 2025. But those stats are easier to stack up than championships, so it may just be a matter of time.
