Super Bowl: Patrick Mahomes chasing third title, but still has a long way to go to catch Tom Brady

LAS VEGAS – No one stood near Patrick Mahomes and made any goat noises when he was talking Tuesday morning. If he leads Kansas City to another Super Bowl title and wins his third championship, Mahomes could hear some “Baas.”

Mahomes has been the NFL’s best quarterback since becoming Kansas City’s starting quarterback six seasons ago. He is 28 and could eventually be considered the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) by the time his career is over.

Quarterbacks are measured by Super Bowl wins. Mahomes is chasing that and has a long way to go before he catches up to Tom Brady – widely considered the goat after retiring with seven rings.

“I’ve only won two Super Bowls, so there’s a couple of other guys in front of me before I even get close to chasing Tom,” Mahomes said. “All you can do is try to be your best every single game, every single day. That’s what I try to do.

“Hopefully my best football is good enough to win this third Super Bowl. All I can do is the best me every single day and I’ll do that again next year and the year after. Hopefully at the end of my career I can say that I’m close to Tom.”

Kansas City is the underdog in Super Bowl LVIII against San Francisco at Allegiant Stadium. As long as Mahomes is running KC’s offense they’ll always have a chance.

He has led his team to its fourth Super Bowl in five years. The last quarterback to do that was Brady. A win Sunday and Mahomes and Kansas City will become the first quarterback and team to win back-to-back titles since Brady and the Patriots following the 2003 and 2004 seasons.

Mahomes hasn’t reached Brady’s heights yet, but there is cause for comparison.

“It’s been a crazy journey since Pat has been in the building,” All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce said. “Each year seems to get better and better because he takes it to that next level. He brings everybody along with him and that’s what makes him so great. I could have never expected this.”

If Kansas City beats San Francisco, Mahomes would join some elite company.

Only four starting quarterbacks have won at least three Super Bowls: Brady, Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw (four) and Troy Aikman (three). Mahomes would become the eighth quarterback to win two straight Super Bowl wins. The others are Bart Starr, Bob Griese, Terry Bradshaw (twice), Montana, Aikman, Elway and Brady.

If Mahomes is named Super Bowl LVIII MVP, he will be the third quarterback with at least three MVPs. Brady won five and Montana three.

“It’s humbling because I never thought I would be in this many Super Bowl games honestly,” Mahomes said. “You strive to be great, but you understand how hard it is to even be this game and for us to be in our fourth one in my six years of starting it truly is remarkable. I don’t take it for granted because you never know if you’re going to be able to get back in this game.”

This was the toughest road for Mahomes and Kansas City.

They hosted the AFC Championship game the previous five years and hadn’t had to play a road playoff game before this playoff run. They won at Buffalo and at Baltimore to reach this Super Bowl. Mahomes was terrific in both games. He completed 47 of 62 passes for 456 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mahomes proved his greatness, if not his goat-ness. But even he acknowledges Brady is way ahead.

“I’m not even close to halfway,” Mahomes said. “I haven’t put a lot of thought into it. Right now it’s doing whatever I can to beat a great 49ers team and trying to get that third ring. If you ask me that question in like 15 years, I’ll see if I get close to seven. Seven seems like a long ways away still.”

By Al Iannazzone

al.iannazzone@newsday.comAl_Iannazzone

Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.