Scott Zolak: Patrick Mahomes is on the heels of Tom Brady
On Monday’s edition of Zolak & Bertrand, Scott Zolak made it clear that Patrick Mahomes has surpassed Peyton Manning and biting at the heels of Tom Brady. He’s already surpassed…
TAMPA, FLORIDA – OCTOBER 02: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs shakes hands with Tom Brady #12 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-31 at Raymond James Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
On Monday's edition of Zolak & Bertrand, Scott Zolak made it clear that Patrick Mahomes has surpassed Peyton Manning and biting at the heels of Tom Brady.
He's already surpassed Peyton Manning...
Marc Bertrand: To have (Patrick) Mahomes in there again. It's been (Tom) Brady Mahomes every year in the AFC title game since 2011. One of them has been there. And before that you say, well, who else was in that thing. Well, it was (Ben) Roethlisberger the year before that. It was (Peyton) Manning the year before that. And then a bunch of Brady ones back in the 2000. So it's just a nice consistency that the NFL has built for themselves with Patrick Mahomes in his presence. That's what they've done.
Scott Zolak: (Joe) Burrow really screwed this thing up getting hurt.
Marc Bertrand: They didn't exactly play well out of the gate either with that injury he was dealing with. But he was a non-factor this year. How many years has Patrick Mahomes been a non-factor? Zero. Never. It's one of the most impressive things about him. He's got that Brady quality. Yeah, you can count yourself in it every single year. He'll be hanging around.
Joe Murray: Manning played in five AFC Championship games.
Marc Bertrand: He's already got more than him. He's got more than Peyton Manning.
Joe Murray: I hold Peyton Manning... like it's Brady and Manning right after.
Scott Zolak: Well that's how you're conditioned all these years. Gotta recondition, Joe.
Joe Murray: I still don't know why. I still feel that Manning was better. But watching this, you know, him winning on the road yesterday. He was motivated by that.
Scott Zolak: I'm past Manning being better than Mahomes. Mahomes' athletic ability and his ability to throw accurately and bring his team back is... I remember when Brady threw that pick in the AFC title game. We're inside the five and I'm swearing, cussing up there. No, we need to run the ball. How are we going to gift them seven points? And that almost killed him at the end of the game. Thatt would've been another seven points he had to come back from. He's never dead. Manning can't move much in the pocket. You knew where he's always going to be. He never threw on the run. You know, this guy kills you on the run. He was running down that left sideline and I'm like, somebody hit him out of bounds. He almost scored on it.
Joe Murray: And he got the call last year on both championship game.
Scott Zolak: No kidding. I'm starting to think he's past Manning. He's on Brady's heels.
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS - DECEMBER 17: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs and head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs walk onto the field prior to a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on December 17, 2023 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Listen to the full segment!
Here’s how Jerod Mayo feels about the Patriots and ‘titles’
There's been frankly way too much discussion on the official titles of New England Patriots coaches in recent years. And that's their fault. If they simply officially named people certain titles and roles, there wouldn't be much to talk about at all there.
But under new head coach Jerod Mayo, will that stay the same? Based on comments made by Mayo last April, when he was still the "linebackers coach" but really seemed more like a defensive coordinator or assistant head coach, he doesn't believe too strongly in official, rigidly defined roles, either.
"New England never has roles," Mayo deadpanned (watch via NESN). "Honestly, that's what it is, the whole 'role' thing. That's not important, as long as I'm growing. For me, it's about growth, it's about personal development, and that's what I'm focused on.
"It's pretty fluid as far as, let's call it, 'the classes,' the management stuff."
Eric Canha-USA TODAY SportsJan 17, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft (left) announces the hiring of head coach Jerod Mayo (right) at Gillette Stadium. Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Now, we don't want to let those comments get lost in translation. Mayo does not seem averse to naming an official offensive coordinator or defensive coordinator. It's more that he doesn't want to pigeonhole anyone into a single role and leave them without opportunities to grow or evolve professionally.
Based on recent coordinator interviews in New England, it sounds like the Patriots will indeed name coordinators. That will be just another departure from Bill Belichick that Mayo will provide. What exactly will all those new coordinators and assistants do? That seems more up in the air.
But they'll at least have a title.
(Click here to subscribe to the Sports Hub Underground podcast.)
Get complete New England Patriots coverage at 985TheSportsHub.com.
Matt Dolloff is a writer and podcaster for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Check out all of Matt's content.
