Once an all-everything baseball and football prospect who attracted legions of major college recruiters to Stamford, Conn., Bobby Valentine has watched, competed with, and competed and coached against special athletes over more than six decades.
Patrick Mahomes, he said, stands out among all of them. The Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback was a 4-year-old in Valentine’s Shea Stadium clubhouse in 1999, the year Mahomes’ father Pat went 8-0 for the Mets and pitched four scoreless innings against the Braves in Game 6 of the NLCS.
The following season, even though the adults were concerned about his safety, the kid was fearlessly shagging flies and dodging line drives during batting practice. At age 5, Patrick caught his first fly ball hit by a major leaguer — Robin Ventura.
“When it was called to my attention that Patrick was so young and on the field,” Valentine recalled the other day, “I believed and so did his dad that he could handle himself.”
Valentine laughed at the memory over the phone.
“Mozart did it when he was 5 at the piano, and Patrick was doing it on the sports field at the same age,” he said. “I like genius when I see one or hear one, and Patrick is a genius. If he stays motivated he will be the greatest ever. He’ll have better numbers than Tom Brady and more spectacular plays, as well as Brady’s ability to win at the end.”
Yes, Brady’s ability to win at the end. Nobody in the NFL has matched the now-retired quarterback’s six Super Bowl titles with the Patriots, and his add-on with the Buccaneers. Brady earned that seventh ring at Mahomes’ expense two years ago, throwing three touchdown passes in a 31-9 victory.
“You’re a legend, man,” Mahomes told Brady on the field afterward. “Congrats, man.”
“You’re a stud, bro,” Brady responded. “Let’s keep in touch.”
Keeping in touch is precisely what Mahomes is planning to do. He might never approach Brady’s title total, but it is a fact that the 27-year-old Mahomes will become the youngest quarterback to make his third Super Bowl start — beating Brady by 39 days — when he faces the Eagles on Sunday in the Arizona desert.
As sure as Brady chased his idol Joe Montana, and Tiger Woods chased Jack Nicklaus, and LeBron James still chases Michael Jordan, Mahomes now chases Brady. He is likely the only man on the planet with a chance to win this race.
It’s too late for Aaron Rodgers, though he could close the gap by winning a championship and ending a biblical drought for your New York Jets. Joe Burrow is only 26, but no Super Bowl rings to date means no cigar.
Mahomes is the most credible threat to Brady’s standing as the best ever, in part because he is a devoted student of his craft. After beating Burrow and the Bengals in the AFC Championship game, Mahomes said he is an eager listener whenever Old Man Brady is willing to share his wisdom.
“I have a good relationship with him now and he gives me a lot of advice,” Mahomes said. “I mean why would you not want to learn from the GOAT? Anytime anybody like that wants to give me advice, I’ll take it in. And it’s cool to see the guys that you watched growing up your whole life be able to talk to you on that type of platform.”
In his first five regular seasons as a full-time starter, Mahomes threw for 23,957 yards and 192 touchdown passes against 48 interceptions while rushing for 1,537 yards and 12 scores. In his first five regular seasons as a full-time starter, Brady threw for 18,029 yards and 123 touchdown passes against 66 interceptions while rushing for 333 yards and three scores.
Of course, the game has changed a lot from young Brady to young Mahomes, granting quarterbacks more protection and more freedom to fire away at will as defenders are terrified to hit them. Brady didn’t become a true offensive juggernaut until 2007, his seventh season as a starter, when he passed for the same number of touchdowns — 50 — that Mahomes delivered in his first season as a starter, 2018.
So yes, if the Chiefs’ quarterback stays healthy (and motivated), he should break Brady’s all-time records for passing yards (89,214) and passing touchdowns (649). Appearing on FS1’s “First Things First,” Mahomes said Brady “has the Jordan in him — that will to win and that will to be the best. I think that’s what makes Tom so great.”
Of greater consequence, Mahomes called Brady “someone that I want to try and chase. … I think any athlete wants to be the best at their position ever. I want to be, but I understand how hard it’s going to be. I know Tom being in 10 Super Bowls and wining seven of them is something that seems impossible, so all I can do is take it day by day and get better and better.”
Sounds like a plan. As sure as little Patrick chased fly balls in the Shea Stadium outfield, big Patrick is chasing Tom Brady. May the best GOAT win.
