There has been a lot of talk about Patrick Mahomes potentially being the greatest quarterback of all time when everything is all said and done. But that conversation is way down the road. A more exciting and prevalent debate is where he ranks among the best quarterbacks in the last three decades.
Make no mistake, Mahomes has been the best quarterback in the league since taking over as the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018 with respect to Tom Brady.
This year’s Super Bowl appearance is Mahomes’ fourth over the last five seasons. And Mahomes has had to arguably the most this year to get the Chiefs to back-to-back Super Bowls for the second time during this stretch, as this is the worst wide receiver corps he had during his tenure.
Granted, the Chiefs finally have a running game, and their defense has been spectacular. But Brady has had those two entities for most of his career.
Mahomes is 2-1 in the three previous Super Bowl appearances, leading the Chiefs past the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 in last year’s event. With a victory over San Francisco in Bowl XVIII, Mahomes would become the eighth different quarterback to win back-to-back championships. Terry Bradshaw won back-to-back SBs twice in the 1970s with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Where Mahomes Stands Among Top Quarterbacks Over Last 3 Decades
1. Tom Brady (2000-22)
Brady has the story, being a sixth-round draft pick, and production to stand the test of time as the “GOAT.” Brady owns many regular season and postseason records. He is 7-3 in Super Bowls, winning five Super Bowl MVPs and three regular-season MVPs. Brady also holds the NFL and playoff record for most wins, passes completed, and passing touchdowns, among others.
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Peyton Manning (1998-2015)
Peyton Manning is one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game, as he could sling the ball like few others. Manning nearly quadrupled the downtrodden Indianapolis Colts playoffs with the franchise, as the Colts had three postseason appearances before his arrival.
Manning led the Colts to 14 playoff appearances, one Super Bowl title in two appearances. The Colts made the playoffs three times after moving from Baltimore before Manning arrived.
Manning also led the Denver Broncos to two Super Bowls, including a win in 2015. Manning holds many NFL records and is the only five-time league MVP. He also has the most All-Pro first-team selections.
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Steve Young (1985-1999)
Steve Young was the 1990s version of Patrick Mahomes, albeit a smaller one, meaning he was a playmaker using both his arms and legs. Young could get out of any situation with his leg while also being able to carve up defenses due to his pinpoint accuracy.
After a slow start to his professional career, Young started in the USSFL – as did Jim Kelly – and then spent two seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before moving to San Francisco, where he sat behind Joe Montana for a few years.
Young finally got his chance in 1991 due to an elbow injury to Montana, but he stepped into the spotlight in 1992. That season, Young won his first Super Bowl with the Niners and MVP.
Young won three Super Bowls in the Nineties, two MVPs, and one Super Bowl MVP. He was also a three-time first-team All-Pro selection and was among the top passers during this five-year stretch.
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Patrick Mahomes (2017 -Present)
Mahomes has been fantastic since being the No. 10 overall pick in the Chiefs, even though he sat behind Alex Smith in his first season. Mahomes has a rifle for a right arm, though he also has extreme touch as well. Additionally, he has an uncanny ability to maneuver away from pressure while also being able to rack up yards with his feet.
Mahomes is a two-time Super Bowl Champ, Super Bowl MVP, and regular season MVP. The 2022 NFL passing yards leader owns a 74-22 regular season record while going 14-3 in the postseason. He has been nearly the last two postseasons, completing 70% of his passes with 11 touchdowns and no interceptions as the Chiefs are 6-0. Mahomes also has engineered 14 come-from-behind victories and 16 game-winning drives.
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Aaron Rodgers (2005-Present)
Aaron Rodgers sat patiently behind Brett Farve during his first three years in Green Bay. While Rodgers did thrive immediately after taking over the Packers, it didn’t take that long until he and Brady were two of the best quarterbacks in the league.
Rodgers, who thinks of himself as a genius, doesn’t have the best arm but can scramble around and take off when necessary. He also makes quality decisions.
Rodgers is a four-time MVP and four-time first-team All-Pro. He led the Packers to four seasons of 13 or more wins and 10 seasons of double-digit victories. However, Rodgers is just 11-10 in the playoffs, reaching the Super Bowl twice and winning once, where he was named SB XLV MVP.
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Brett Farve (1991-2010)
Brett Farve was the quintessential gunslinger who would take many risks. Some paid off, others didn’t.
Farve had a three-year stretch (1995-1997) where he was arguably the best quarterback in the league, leading the Green Bay Packers to two Super Bowl appearances and one win (XXXI). He was named the MVP in each of the years during that stretch. Besides his arm, Farve was most known for his durability, appearing in 321 consecutive games, including the playoffs.
Farve’s 336 career interceptions is an NFL record.
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Drew Brees (2001-2020)
The undersized quarterback, by today’s standards, Drew Brees, was one of the best passers in this three-decade span. He was highly accurate and threw a lot with the pass-happy New Orleans Saints. The Super Bowl XLIV MVP is a two-time NFL Offensive Player of the Year award winner, seven-time passing yard leader, and six-time completion percentage leader.
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Eli Manning (2004-2019)
Forever Peyton Manning’s little brother, Eli Manning, put together a few good seasons to put himself on this list. But he stood out during the two New York Giants Super Bowl runs (207-2011), where the Giants won four postseason games each year.
Manning, who set the NFL postseason single-season postseason passing yards record (1,219) in 2011, earned Super Bowl MVPs in both games. He was also a four-time Pro Bowl selection.
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John Elway (1983-1999)
John Elway was 27 and halfway through his career by the time the ‘90s hit, but that is when he started to shine. Elway led the Broncos to five playoff appearances, including three straight from 1996-1997, where the Broncos posted a 35-8 record and back-to-back Super Bowl wins (1997-98). He led the league in passing yards in 1993 and was named Super Bowl MVP in 1993.
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Jim Kelly (1986-1996)
Jim Kelly, the orchestrator of the famed K-Gun offense, led the Buffalo Bills to an NFL record four straight Super Bowl appearances from 1990-1994. The Bills went 48-13 during this stretch.
The 1991 First-Team All-Pro selection led the NFL in completion percentage (1990) and passer rating (1990) while topping the league in passing touchdowns in 1991.
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Troy Aikman (1991-1999)
Troy Aikman and the Dallas Cowboys dominated the early -to mid-1990s. While Aikman was considered more a facilitator of the offense due to the playmakers that he had around him, he led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl victories and a postseason record of 10-1 from 1992-1995. Aikman was also named SB MVP in 1992.
