Oct 1, 2018; Denver, CO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) greets Denver Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. (25) following the game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
At just 29 years old, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes has already compiled an incredible list of accolades. A 2-time MVP, 3-time Super Bowl MVP, and a 2-time First Team All-Pro, Patrick Mahomes has already accomplished in 8 seasons what most quarterbacks would hope to accomplish in an entire career.
However, with a recent blowout loss in Super Bowl LIX, many fans are starting to question Mahomes’ greatness and his true impact on the game. A 40-22 loss against the Philadelphia Eagles was now the second time that Mahomes has lost by more than 2 scores in a Super Bowl. This was enough for fans to say that Mahomes wasn’t great, or that he’d never catch Tom Brady as the best QB in NFL history.
But as we know, even the all-time greats have bad days. From 2000 to 2019, the New England Patriots built what many consider the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Even Tom Brady had his struggles during that span—missing the playoffs entirely in 2002 and suffering a double-digit loss in the Divisional Round against the Denver Broncos in 2005.
As fans continued to pile on Mahomes through social media, one former player decided that enough was enough. Former All-Pro Broncos cornerback Chris Harris Jr. came to the rescue, defending Mahomes and all that he’s done.
““How you gonna say [Patrick Mahomes] not the Goat just for one bad game,” Harris wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “It be the guys that never played him making this stuff up.”
While fans may disagree with Harris’ GOAT take, it’s true that one game does not determine a player’s greatness. All the greatest quarterbacks through history have had a bad game here and there. Hall of Famer Peyton Manning played in 4 Super Bowls, but won only 2 of them (including a 43-8 blowout loss against the Seattle Seahawks).
While Patrick Mahomes has a long career ahead of him, the pressure is already immense—whSet featured imageether it’s from fans who expect greatness or critics waiting for him to fall. Yet, as he continues to pile up accolades, one thing is certain: by the time his career is over, the debate over his place among the greatest of all time will be impossible to ignore.
