Arguably the greatest quarterback of all time will face off against the next generation’s top signal caller this Sunday in what could be their final showdown. Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady is playing in his 10th Super Bowl at 43 years old while Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will play in his second in a row at the age of 25.
Although Brady’s legacy is solidified, this matchup is a two Super Bowl swing in the greatest-of-all-time conversation. Should Mahomes claim his second Super Bowl and continue to dominate the NFL for the rest of his career like Brady, he’d make a pretty good case for the best quarterback in league history.
The game will undoubtedly center around the quarterback-led offenses, as it deserves to be. The Chiefs and Bucs are No. 1 and 2 in passing offense and are top 5 in scoring. Along with their pass-heavy mentalities, both Kansas City and Tampa Bay are bottom 10 in rushing attempts.
With a projected point total of 56 points per DraftKings Sportsbook as of Wednesday, the defenses will have to find ways to stop the passing offenses to have a chance at winning. The Chiefs ranked 13th in passing defense compared to the Buccaneers at No. 21.
The offensive coaching staffs for Kansas City and Tampa Bay have entertained us with dazzling play calls all season, and their coordinators will be making history Sunday night. In a league with few Black coaches, especially compared to players, Eric Bieniemy and Byron Leftwich have stood out. Out of 32 offensive coordinators in the NFL, they are the only two Black coordinators and will lead their respective offenses in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs are a 3-point favorite, marking the first time Brady has been an underdog in the Super Bowl since his first of nine previous appearances. The last time Brady wasn’t favored in a Super Bowl, he won his first career championship and began a dynasty with the New England Patriots.
That dynasty fell when Brady left the Patriots, and now he is attempting to stop a new one from forming in Kansas City under Mahomes. Despite it being Brady’s 10th appearance, this may be the toughest and most important matchup of his prolific career. The Chiefs have won 25 of their past 27 games including the playoffs.
In what is most likely the final game between the master and apprentice of NFL quarterbacks, expect a close, high-scoring contest no matter which way it ends up leaning. Depending on the result, it could make or break Brady’s decision to return or retire this offseason.
"I think I'll know when it's time,” Brady said this week. “I don't know when it's time, but I think I'll know ... When I put it all out there and I feel like I can't do that anymore and I can't commit to the team in the way that the team needs me, then I think that's probably time to walk away."
