Brady outduels Mahomes, adds to legacy as Bucs dominate Chiefs to win Super Bowl
Tom Brady was, still is and seemingly forever will be the greatest player, winner and champion in NFL history.
Case closed.
The 43-year old quarterback tossed three first-half touchdown passes Sunday night to lead the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 31-9 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium, and in the process became the first team to host and win a Super Bowl in their home stadium.
It was Brady’s NFL-record seventh title, and his first with the Buccaneers after winning six with the New England Patriots. And he won the Super Bowl MVP award for a record fifth time.
In one season, Brady turned a Tampa Bay team that was 7-9 in 2019 into Super Bowl champions. Brady answered the long-asked question of who was more important to New England’s success, Brady or legendary coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots finished the season at 7-9 and missed the playoffs.
Brady’s line (21 of 29, 201 yards) included two touchdown passes to tight end Rob Gronkowski, his former Patriots teammate who came out of a one-year retirement to join the Buccaneers.
Brady also likely put to rest any questions about Chiefs wunderkind quarterback Patrick Mahomes eclipsing his GOAT status as the greatest of all time.
Mahomes’ bid for consecutive Super Bowl titles and a second straight Super Bowl MVP award went down in a hail of pressure from a swarming Tampa Bay defense and a host of penalty flags that led to Kansas City trailing 21-6 at halftime.
Kansas City committed eight penalties in the first half, the most for the first half in Super Bowl history. A defensive holding penalty negated an interception. An offsides penalty on field-goal attempt gave Tampa Bay a first down, which led to a touchdown. Two pass interference penalties led to another touchdown right before end of the half.
Heading into the Super Bowl, the Chiefs were 8-1 over the last two seasons, including the playoffs, in games in which they trailed by double digits. But this would not be a day for miracle comebacks.
With a quarterback rating of 52.3, Mahomes (26 of 49, 270 yards, three sacks, two interceptions) had his worst statistical performance in his four-year NFL career and his worst loss since he was in college at Texas Tech.
By the end of the third quarter the Buccaneers extended their lead to 31-9, and then it was time for the coronation.
Brady was king again.
Long live the king.
This story was originally published February 7, 2021 at 9:13 PM.
