Tom Brady's Refreshing Patrick Mahomes Take Is One Sports Fans Should Hear

Tom Brady strolled through a wildlife sanctuary in Brisbane, Australia, during the former NFL quarterback's recent trip Down Under, stopping with his entourage for up-close kangaroo and koala encounters before passing a certain species the seven-time Super Bowl champion knows all too well—goats.

As the group approached them, one of Brady's friends couldn't help but make a quip about who may be football's "GOAT." "Coming up on the Mahomes exhibit," someone joked, drawing a laugh from Brady.

The humorous exchange, which Brady posted on his Instagram, was all in good fun, but it goes to show how inescapable the Greatest of All Time discourse has gotten—especially this week.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is headed to his fourth Super Bowl in six seasons as a starter, after leading KC to a 17-10 AFC Championship game win over the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens. And the GOAT debate has since escalated. Brady is widely considered the greatest the NFL has ever seen.

But is Mahomes challenging that title already? The NFL Network is on the case. So is ESPN's Stephen A. Smith. And Mike Greenberg. The very long list of those in the Mahomes-Brady debate goes on. But it doesn't seem to include Brady.

During an appearance on Tuesday's Pat McAfee Show, Brady detailed why he doesn't believe a praiseworthy moment for Mahomes comes at a cost to his legacy and how Kansas City's two-time MVP shouldn't have to live in his shadow.

"There's nothing that Patrick can do, in my opinion, that takes away from what I tried to accomplish in my career, and there's nothing I did that can take away from what he's trying to accomplish," Brady said when asked by McAfee about the GOAT conversation. "All I tried to be is the best I can be."

Consider that a refreshing spin on a conversation that has been ongoing for some time.

Brady, 46, retired permanently, at least so far, after the 2022 NFL season as the league's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns. The former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers signal-caller won three MVPs, earned 15 Pro Bowl nods and went to 10 Super Bowls, the last of which resulted in a win over Mahomes and the Chiefs. But part of why this never-ending debate rages on is because Mahomes is already challenging that elite résumé.

The 28-year-old compares favorably to Brady from a statistical standpoint through each of their first six seasons as a starter, as illustrated on X (formerly Twitter) by the 33rd Team.

Mahomes is already third all-time in postseason victories by a QB (14), trailing just Joe Montana (16) and Brady, who, incredibly, has 35. When the Chiefs face off against the San Francisco 49ers in February 11's Super Bowl, the six-time Pro Bowler can win ring No. 3. That accomplishment would inevitably lead to conversations about catching Brady's seven and how the two stack up.

Is that fair? Whether it is or not, McAfee made an appropriate hardwood comparison. "It's been happening to Michael Jordan since he retired the third time," the former NFL punter told Brady, speaking about the constant comparisons between him and Mahomes.

"'Michael Jordan now is the GOAT. Well, is LeBron James better than Michael Jordan?' This [argument] is every day," he continued. "Every. Single. Day. This is something that's going to come, with some people tearing down Michael Jordan to put up LeBron James, or tearing down LeBron James to put up Michael Jordan."

Brady and Mahomes have both gone on record about their mutual respect. The soon-to-be Fox commentator told McAfee that he texted a friend of his on the Chiefs after their Sunday win to congratulate Mahomes and company.

So Brady won't be too nervous on Super Bowl Sunday about Mahomes potentially hoisting another Lombardi. The 23-year NFL veteran described his sporting idols growing up—Montana, Steve Young, Dan Marino and John Elway among them—and the admiration he had for how those QBs went about trying to be at their best. Brady just attempted to do the same. Mahomes is too, and the former Patriots QB commends that.

Not everything has to be a debate. There's plenty to appreciate from what both QBs have accomplished or, in Mahomes' case, what he still will accomplish, Brady said. And if that happens to include the Chiefs QB eventually surpassing Brady on the Super Bowl leaderboard, or capturing that elusive GOAT title that has been deemed so important, so be it.

"Believe me, if anyone can go out there and win seven Super Bowls, I have so much respect for them," Brady said. "I understand how difficult it is. I will congratulate them and give whoever it is a big hug."