Super Bowl LVII: Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes a win away from having one of NFL’s best five-year stretches ever

Patrick Mahomes’ bold performance in a thrilling AFC title win over the Bengals puts him on the verge of winning a second NFL championship. It will by no means be easy. Most thought he beat the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV; instead, it was arguably the worst game of his career. Now he faces a full Eagles team with one of the most productive passing rushes of all time. Also, Mahomes likely won’t be 100% healthy as he recovers from a sprained ankle.

Still, it’s hard not to dream of where his legacy would lie with a second Super Bowl. We have to assume he will earn a second MVP when the award is presented next Thursday (February 9) at the NFL Honors Ceremony. He got 49 of 50 votes for an AP First-Team All-Pro selection, which is a strong indicator of who will win the MVP. With a second MVP and a second ring within his reach, he is eyeing one of the best five-season streaks by a quarterback in NFL history.

Since becoming a full-time starter with the Chiefs in 2018, he has played in the AFC Championship Game every season and qualified for the Super Bowl three times. The two times he didn’t, he lost in overtime. He joined Tom Brady and Ken Stabler as the only quarterbacks to start five straight conference title games.

Mahomes already has the best numbers of any quarterback in five years, ever.

He has the most touchdown passes in five seasons, including the playoffs.

(2018-22) Patrick Mahomes: 224 (2009-13) Drew Brees: 214

He has the most passing yards in five seasons, including the playoffs.

(2018-22) Patrick Mahomes: 27,859 (2009-13) Drew Brees: 27,446

Only Tom Brady has won more wins by a quarterback in five seasons, including the playoffs.

(2003-07) Tom Brady: 77 (2018-22) Patrick Mahomes: 73

Of course, it’s a little easier for Mahomes to top those lists with longer seasons, more playoff games and playing in the most passer-friendly era of all time. Still, he led the league in touchdown passes twice this season (2018 and 2022).

Other quarterbacks have won more MVPs or more championships in five seasons, but winning more of each in the same span would be almost unprecedented. Joe Montana is the only player in NFL history with multiple MVPs and championships won in five seasons (1986-90). No player has ever won multiple league MVPs and Super Bowl MVPs in five seasons, like Mahomes can accomplish with a big game in Super Bowl LVII.

Add up his screaming numbers, the ability to have more individual and team gear, and we’re talking arguably the best five-season streak a quarterback has ever seen. Here are the others in the conversation in my opinion.

Best five-season streaks by a quarterback

(1951-55) Otto Graham

Made five title matches, won two titles; led the NFL in passer rating twice, passed two yards, passed TD once

(1957-61) Johnny Unitas

Won one MVP, two titles; led the NFL in TD passing four times, passing yards three times, passer rating twice

(1964-68) Bart Starr

(1974-78) Terry Bradshaw

(1986-90)Joe Montana

(2002-06) Peyton Manning

Won two MVPs, a Super Bowl, an SB MVP; led the NFL in passer rating three times, passed yards and passed TD once

(2003-07) Tom Brady

(2014-18) Tom Brady

(2018-22) Patrick Mahomes

My first thought was that Bart Starr’s run from 1964 to 1968 was actually near the top of the conversation here. He won an MVP, three titles, two Super Bowl MVPs and led the NFL in passer rating three times. However, there were only 16 teams in the league at that time.

Montana won two MVPs and two Super Bowls in three years from 1988 to 1990. I’d tip Tom Brady from 2014 to 2018, though, with Mahomes a close second if he captures a second league MVP and a second Super Bowl MVP. Bowl. Brady won three titles, two Super Bowl MVPs, one league MVP as well as two second MVPs during that span.

The possibility of a Super Bowl victory also raises the question: Would Mahomes be one of the 10 best QBs of all time, even if he retired after the game, or somehow became a quarterback? average for the rest of his career? I think the answer is yes.

As noted above, Mahomes would be guaranteed one of the greatest peaks in league history. He is one of the most talented quarterbacks in league history. He would also be in great company with a win. He would become the fifth starting quarterback in NFL history with two league MVPs and two titles, alongside Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Some consider Mount Rushmore to be one of the four greatest quarterbacks in league history. Only Brady and Montana — two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time — have won two league MVPs and two Super Bowl MVPs. If Mahomes is able to join that kind of business, I don’t see how he wouldn’t be a lock for the top-10 all-time quarterback, even if he didn’t play another one.

Here are my top 10 best QBs of all time heading into Super Bowl LVII:

1.Tom Brady

2. Joe Montana

3. Peyton Manning

4. Johnny Unitas

5.Aaron Rodgers

6. Brett Favre

7. Drew Brees

8. Dan Marin

9. John Elway

10. Bart Starr

With a win next Sunday, I’d put Mahomes six behind Aaron Rodgers, who, like Mahomes, may have the best arm talent on the planet, but has won four MVPs along with a Super Bowl MVP, and set up some of the most effective seasons into the late thirties. I also like Unitas at four years old. Even though he played more than half a century ago, he retired as the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns and passing yards, won three championships, three MVP and led the NFL in touchdown passes four consecutive seasons. He also led clutch after practice in the “Greatest Game Ever Played” – the 1958 NFL Championship Game.

Mahomes’ current trajectory has him becoming the second-greatest quarterback of all time behind Tom Brady, and this weekend alone he can crack the top 10 and cement one of the best all-time highs. time. Not bad for a 27 year old.