Getty Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady chat with Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes at Capital One's The Match VI.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II has done enough to earn the respect of two NFL legends — Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers.
It’s almost like finally getting into that exclusive club, and Mahomes might be the only QB from this new generation that’s been pre-approved at the door. “I respect him as a leader,” Brady told Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and co-host Jim Gray on his Sirius XM show “Let’s Go!” after the Divisional Round.
He continued: “[It’s] not just as how you throw the football, a lot of people can throw the football, but it’s overrated. In my view, it’s a little bit overrated. What’s really important is, do the guys play with you and for you? And do they love you? And do they respect you? And if they do that, then I know you’re gonna be a great player because they’re watching you do everything… So when they love you and respect you, you got someone great. Now you add some of his physical traits. That’s a whole nother thing.”
Brady was particularly impressed by how Mahomes handled the Jacksonville Jaguars after suffering a high ankle sprain, but he wasn’t exactly surprised.
Tom Brady Respected Patrick Mahomes for Arguing With Andy Reid to Get Back in Game vs Jaguars
“I really respect Patrick for how he came out there in the second half and how pissed he was when he got taken out by Coach Reid, of course, you know, I’m sure he had a word for you,” Brady praised while speaking with Big Red. “But to watch him come out in the second half and play great. You know, that was awesome to watch.”
After the game, Reid had joked with reporters that trying to take Mahomes out of a playoff game was like trying to tell the KC media not to ask a question.
“He’s a tough guy,” Brady noted about Mahomes. “And I told him this the other night, I said — ‘I’m just really happy for you and that’s what champions are made of at the end of the day’ — you got to go out there and you got to do what he did, or else you know, f*** it, [you] make it this far and do what? Just let some other team [win]? No, you push [it] to the limit and you go, look, this is what I’m here for.”
The seven-time Super Bowl champion added that “this is what’s inspiring about sports,” overcoming adversity to do something incredible. “You want to inspire people to dig really deep within themselves, not just physically, not just emotionally and not just mentally,” Brady voiced. “What are you made of? And I think a lot of times, especially in today’s sports, we’re not really teaching much about that.”
Aaron Rodgers Makes Patrick Mahomes Guarantee vs Bengals
Rodgers also talked about Mahomes during a spot on “The Pat McAfee Show” on January 24, and he had a guarantee regarding the quarterback’s ankle injury.
“There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to come back,” Rodgers commented on Mahomes versus Jacksonville, “and anybody talking about — oh, he’s not going to play this week — you’re talking about Pat Mahomes. Pat’s going to play. He’s going to play, and I think he’s going to play really well.”
Like Brady, Rodgers also appreciated Mahomes’ fire when being taken out of the game.
He even made it clear that Mahomes can win without his mobility. “He doesn’t need to scramble,” Rodgers stated. “I guess what people maybe forget sometimes with Pat is [he’s] a great quarterback in the pocket as well as all the other things that he does. That’s what allowed him to take these jumps and possibly win another MVP this year… He’s become an excellent pocket passer.”
Rodgers added that this is the key to “lasting” in the NFL, “you gotta be excellent in the pocket.”