Are Patrick Mahomes Comparisons To Michael Jordan Truly Justified?

Patrick Mahomes is the talk of the town after he led the Kansas City Chiefs to clinch the AFC championship for the second straight year. With this, he has helped his team to consecutive Super Bowl appearances. After winning the title last year against the Philadelphia Eagles in a closely contested game, the Chiefs will face the San Francisco 49ers this season. Notably, this was a repeat of Super Bowl LIV when the Chiefs defeated the 49ers for the chip. This will be Mahomes’ fourth Super Bowl appearance in the last five years. The utter dominance shown by the star quarterback has drawn comparisons to NBA legend Michael Jordan multiple times. But are they warranted?

Jordan was not just a great basketball player; he was one of the best athletes ever. He is arguably the epitome of success in the world of sports. Therefore, stars from different fields are often compared to MJ whenever they consistently dominate. Mahomes has also been compared to the Hall of Famer by many in recent times. Not just by fans; but also by analysts and even by the Chiefs team owner.

Michael Jordan is as epitome of success

Michael Jordan possessed a lot of great qualities which made him one of the GOATs of the game. Some of his best traits are his physical prowess, elite mentality, competitive fire, striving to improve, rising to the occasion, killer instinct, etc. Over the years, MJ has showcased all these qualities to bring his team to the finish line.

We have all seen him hit game-winning buzzer-beaters, single-handedly beat teams, dominate in the iconic flu game, overcome adversaries, make clutch plays on both ends of the court, etc. Even when the odds were stacked against him, he always found a way. It was no coincidence he won six titles in six Finals appearances. All these qualities would not have meant much if they did not bring success to him and the team. However, it wasn’t easy.

#23 took the league by storm and clinched the Rookie of the Year award comfortably averaging 28.2 points per game. It was one of the best rookie seasons ever. He continued his dominance and upward trajectory in the NBA. However, team success was hard to come by.

Despite his brilliant performances against dynasties like the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons, the team struggled. Finally, Jordan and the Chicago Bulls overcame the hurdles in the Eastern Conference and reached the Finals. Then, there was no stopping him. He led the team to three straight titles before chasing his baseball dream.

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Jordan came back but was eliminated in the playoffs by the Orlando Magic. So, he came back stronger and went on to win three straight chips again in true MJ fashion. During his time in the league, he has also won almost every accolade there is and etched himself as one of the best ever.

Patrick Mahomes has a better start!

Patrick Mahomes has certainly displayed Jordanesque qualities throughout his career. He has gone to toe with legendary players, come back stronger after defeats, shown killer instinct, shouldered his team’s offense, etc. However, it is not easy to compare athletes from different sports and eras. But, success is almost always a clear indication of greatness that could be compared as well.

Mahomes does not have a 100% record in the ultimate stage like Michael Jordan does. While Jordan won all six Finals trips, Mahomes has won two in three Super Bowl appearances. In sports, it is harder to continue winning because of the target on your back. Despite this, MJ won three straight rings twice! Some would even argue that he could have won eight consecutive championships if he had not left.

After winning his first title in 2020, Mahomes failed to repeat it the next year despite reaching the Super Bowl. So, it will be interesting to see how he performs in the upcoming test to win straight rings. However, the quarterback is very young and has already tasted success.

In his first six years in the league, Jordan did not make the Finals. On the other hand, Mahomes has already won two championships in his first six years in the NFL. Also, he won the Super Bowl MVP on both occasions. Furthermore, while MJ won the MVP award once in the same duration, Patrick has clinched it twice.

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So even though his record is not perfect, Mahomes has been incredibly successful so far and possibly more than Jordan during his early years. However, what MJ did next is almost impossible to emulate. But the Chiefs star looks like he has all the tools required. So, the comparisons between Mahomes and Jordan are justified.

Editorial Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of EssentiallySports.