Tom Brady’s triumphant return offers Chiefs fans renewed hope that Patrick Mahomes can still dominate the NFL after missing an entire season.
Tom Brady also tore his ACL and NFL fans worried that he’d never be the same — just like fears facing Patrick Mahomes.
Patrick Mahomes might never be the same as an NFL quarterback.
But before Kansas City Chiefs fans embrace a worst-case scenario, it’s worth taking a look at Tom Brady’s career arc before worrying that an ACL injury will prevent Mahomes from reaching GOAT status.
Tom Brady suffered a major knee injury in 2008
Why are Brady and Mahomes linked together?
Brady was an NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl winner as he entered the 2008 season, which was his ninth as a pro.
But a QB then battling Peyton Manning for the honor of being the best in the sport barely played in ’08.
During a Week 1 contest against the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady fell to the turf clutching his left knee midway through the first quarter after being hit by safety Bernard Pollard.
Like Mahomes on Sunday vs the Los Angeles Chargers, Brady limped off and soon learned that he had suffered a season-ending injury.
“He was in a lot of pain,” Pollard told the Boston Globe. “When you hear a scream, you know that.”
Brady tore his ACL and MCL in Week 1, and didn’t play again until the start of the 2009 season.
He responded by throwing for 378 yards in a 25-24 win over the Buffalo Bills, while New England went 10-6 before losing an AFC Wild Card game to the Baltimore Ravens.
Brady won NFL Comeback Player of the Year and followed up that honor with three more Super Bowl trophies as a Patriot.
A seventh world championship followed in 2020, as Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers dominated Mahomes’ Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
All together, the best QB of all-time won four more Super Bowls following his 2008 knee injuries, cementing his status as an all-time great on par with NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes faced similar career paths after injuries
When will Mahomes play QB again?
The current downside for Chiefs fans is the uncertainty that Mahomes faces.
Since his ACL injury occurred in Week 15, Kansas City’s immediate and long-term futures become murky at the same time.
Mahomes’ 2026 status and return timetable haven’t been set, but it’s unlikely that he’s ready for Week 1 next year.
Normal ACL recoveries take at least nine months, and an initial timeframe won’t be set until Mahomes’ injury is examined during surgery.
Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray missed almost a full year after his 2022 ACL injury, while Carson Wentz missed several games to start the 2018 season following an ACL injury in December ’17 — and he never was the same as a starting QB.
The good news for Chiefs fans is that organizational and roster change could eventually work in Mahomes’ favor, while a brief reset could give the six-time Pro Bowler a new perspective on his career.
Chiefs can turn injury into an advantage
The Patriots built a two-decade dynasty by being ruthless in moving on from players and refusing to settle for the norm.
The Chiefs would be wise to move on from veteran tight end Travis Kelce before Mahomes returns.
The partnership between Bill Belichick and Brady also went nine seasons (2005-13) without winning a Super Bowl, which included missing the playoffs in 2008 during the year that Brady was injured.
But Brady and the Pats answered by renewing the dynasty with world titles in 2014, ’16 and ’18, and the last ring arrived a decade after Brady’s disastrous Week 1 injuries.
“We’re a relentless team,” linebacker Dont’a Hightower said after Super Bowl LIII.
“We didn’t give up. A lot was thrown at us. When we play like we did tonight, we can’t be beat.”
Brady put up the biggest numbers of his career after his 2008 ACL and MCL injuries, which included a 110 passer rating in 2010 and a whopping 5,316 passing yards in 2021.
Tom Brady won four more Super Bowls after tearing his ACL and MCL
“Not going to lie, (it) hurts,” Mahomes posted on social media, on a day when the Chiefs were officially eliminated from the playoffs.
“But all we can do now is (trust) in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you, Chiefs kingdom, for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I (will) be back stronger than ever.”
There’s pain and uncertainty now.
But Mahomes has the talent and drive to fully recover, and Brady proved 17 years ago that a season-ending injury can be the start of a brilliant second act in the NFL.
