Julian Edelman has witnessed Tom Brady’s humility firsthand while playing together, and now he observes similar traits in Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. And why not? After facing criticism for the team’s shortcomings last season, Mahomes eventually won it all for the third time.
In a conversation on the “Games with Names” podcast with former Patriots director of player research, Ernie Adams, Julian Edelman spoke about how Mahomes and his Chiefs have maintained consistency while remaining grounded. The former Patriots WR, amazed by the Chiefs’ performance in recent years, believes that people often overlook the effort required for a team to consistently achieve success.
He also commanded Mahomes for his courage in adapting his gameplay and for balancing possessive plays against a good defense. At the same time, he also praised his rushing game when it was absolutely necessary. In this case, he reminisced about the star QB’s 22-yard rush to the 49ers’ territory in Super Bowl LVIII.
For the last two years, they were able to evolve their team and have the humility. It takes a lot for a guy like Patrick Mahomes to have the humility to take that check down to hit where the ball is supposed to go, play possession football to our good defense, and then the one time they mess up, that’s when you hit the 22-yard in-cut.” Julian said.
It’s certainly understandable where Edelman is coming from. The Chiefs’ receiving room struggled throughout the entire season, and only the team’s secondary, which had to hold strong against opposing offenses. Recognizing this, Mahomes started to play more possessive games, and eventually took his Chiefs to the promised land. Surprisingly, he tallied just 27 touchdowns in 16 regular season games.
Can Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs replicate the Tom Brady-era Patriots dynasty?
Ever since Tom Brady took over the helm in Foxborough in 2001, everything changed. He defied all odds, winning six Super Bowl titles from 2001 to 2018 and dominating the AFC East for 11 straight seasons. Fast forward to today, with Patrick Mahomes steering the Kansas City Chiefs on a road heading toward building a new dynasty. They made their fourth Super Bowl appearance in just five years and secured their third Lombardi Trophy in four years.
Dynasties often breed envy and animosity, just as the Patriots faced their fair share of hate during their championship reign. However, the Chiefs have carved a different path, devoid of scandals like Spygate and Deflategate. With a beloved head coach and a loveable quarterback, they’ve become a more likable dynasty.
Patrick Mahomes embodies what Tom Brady meant to the Patriots: a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback. Similarly, Andy Reid mirrors Bill Belichick’s coaching prowess. There is just one difference between the two, one excels defensively, and the other excels offensively.
That being said, Kansas City presents an ideal setting for a dynasty to flourish, perhaps the best. While Mahomes and Reid may not replicate the longevity that Brady and Belichick had, given Reid’s age and potential retirement; Mahomes is still 28 and has years of prime playing ahead of him. For now, it’s nothing but uncertain, but it will sure be interesting to see how the coach-QB duo performs in the coming years.
