Patrick Mahomes still has to squint to see Tom Brady in the distance.
With 35 postseason victories in his career, Brady remains the gold standard in the National Football League, but there's good reason to believe that Mahomes could eventually get there. Before he's even hit his thirties, he's already ready to own second place on the illustrious list by himself.
For all of Mahomes's remarkable and ridiculous achievements on the field, the fact that he could be 29 years old and ready to put Joe Montana in the rearview mirror in a category like career playoff wins might be the most outrageous. But that's what's at stake if Mahomes can win two games this January.
The Kansas City Chiefs, for now, are waiting to know their opponent as they sit out the Wild Card round with a well-deserved first-round bye. The Chiefs went 15-2 this season to claim the AFC's top seed, which also gives Mahomes and company home-field advantage in the Divisional Round and Conference Championships. That's no small thing when you reside at Arrowhead.
Brady has 35 career wins in 48 total postseason games, which is amazing in itself—that Brady played three full NFL seasons in January and February. Mahomes is 15-3 in the playoffs, which gives him a win percentage far greater than even Brady. That said, the Patriots dynasty during Brady's prime shows just how difficult it is to sustain such winning ways year after year.
Joe Montana is currently in second place with 16 wins to Mahomes's 15. Last postseason, the Chiefs quarterback passed such all-time greats as Peyton Manning (14), Steve Young (14), Terry Bradshaw (14), John Elway (14), Roger Staubach (13), Brett Favre (13), and Ben Roethlisberger (13) to sit alone in third place—for now.
The good news for Mahomes in terms of this year's hope for more wins is that the Chiefs are not only at home, but they will be well-rested and healthy when their opponents come to visit after a season spent dealing with severe injuries. That should allow Mahomes to do what he does best and show off the magic that's already catapulted him into a Hall of Fame stratosphere despite being only 29.
