Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes aims to copy Tom Brady's financial and in-game success
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and reigning MVP Patrick Mahomes has identified Tom Brady as a role model for getting paid in the NFL and his elite ability to recognise coverages and plays before they happen.
Mahomes signed a ten-year contract extension three years ago worth £350million ($450m) Even knowing that the NFL salary cap gradually rises annually, the Chiefs QB learned from Brady that it's essential to ensure the offensive line and skill players are paid so that an offense can work in sync. At the same time, knowing his value is critical to ensure he is not underpaid throughout his career.
“I’ve looked at Tom’s model and how he did it,” Mahomes said to Sports Illustrated.“That’s it—you want to make money for yourself and for your family. You want to keep pushing the market forward for other quarterbacks. You don’t want to be someone that they [use against other players]. But at the same time, I want these other guys to get paid. I want Chris Jones to be in training camp. I want Travis Kelce to always be making money. I want everybody on the team here.
The two-time Super Bowl champion doesn't just want to replicate Brady's financial leadership. He also wants to raise the bar on the IQ part of his game, a pivotal point in Brady's 22-year-long NFL career. Mahomes recently admitted to extracting information from Blaine Gabbert, a former backup to Brady from 2020 to 2022 and current backup to the Kansas City star, who previously compared both quarterbacks.
"Talking to Blaine, who's been with Tom for the last few years now, to see how advanced Tom was, it's just knowing that I can get there one day," said Mahomes.
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"I just got to continue to work and ask Coach [Andy] Reid questions, ask Blaine questions. It just makes the game a lot easier when you can plan and know exactly what a defense will do. Every year I come back, I want to take that next step on the mental side of the game."
The 26-year-old superstar quarterback became known for his ability to scramble out of the pocket and extend plays with his feet. Furthermore, his ability to improvise on the fly with throws from various angles and accurately deliver the ball has become a significant move for his career.
Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady embrace each other after a game.Like Brady, Mahomes aims to reach an elite level in identifying coverages before the ball is snapped. By utilizing his understanding of a defensive scheme, Brady could locate a weakness and throw accurately through any gaps. "There's sometimes, even to this day, you get into a coverage, you just don't see it," he continued.
"Luckily for me, I've been able to scramble and make plays happen. To be able to pre-snap, always have an answer and make the game even easier. This is a hard game where defenses are doing many different things. You rarely saw Tom get tricked. That's where I want to get to instead of having to rely on scrambles. That all looks cool, but I want to be able to have the answer even before the snap of the ball."
As a quarterback, Brady's greatest strength has always been his ability to read coverages before and after the snap. This skill, which he has honed over his 22-year career, has allowed him to expertly orchestrate the offence by making quick adjustments to take advantage of the defense's weaknesses. His ability is often called a superpower, converted into seven Super Bowl championships.
The Chiefs signal caller's desire to get better pre-snap was on full display during one of the most significant moments of Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles. During the final quarter, Mahomes made a cover zero adjustment after noticing a misalignment with the Eagles' defensive backs. The play resulted in a late touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 35-27 lead with five minutes remaining.
"That was, to me, Brady-esque," said a member of the Chiefs staff. "For him to be able to be in the biggest moment of the season and be O.K. knowing this play is still gonna work because of the coverage they're in—no need to get Kelce to the other side, no need to call timeout, let's just let it roll, be calm and make a play—that is the No. 1 example that comes to mind."
The play depicted Mahomes' potential future trajectory, where he can match his physical and mental abilities with his game knowledge. He has a strong desire and determination to replicate Brady's success.
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