Jemele Hill Claims Patrick Mahomes Doesn't Need More Titles To Be 'Better' Than Tom Brady

Jemele Hill thinks she’s discovered who the greatest quarterback in NFL history is, and It’s not Tom Brady.

Shortly after the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, Hill tweeted out that Patrick Mahomes is a better quarterback than Brady. Surprisingly, she refrained from inserting race into her opinion.

But nonetheless, it didn’t make a lot of sense. 

Hill claimed in a “medium” take that Mahomes does not need to eclipse Brady’s mark of seven Super Bowl rings to be considered better than him.

Notice how she said “better” than Brady, a highly subjective term. Debating who’s the best gets murky when you base an argument off arm talent, mobility, the era you played in, etc.

But there’s one unequivocal measure that helps us define quarterback greatness, and it's exactly what she removed from the conversation.

Hill Will Have To Wait A While Before Mahomes Is Considered The G.O.A.T.

Look at Brady’s career as an example. He had a great career when he was Mahomes’ age (28); he won three Super Bowls and was 10-1 in the playoffs.

But until Brady won his fourth Super Bowl, most people believed Joe Montana or Terry Bradshaw held the status as the greatest quarterbacks ever. At the time, they had more rings than Brady, hence that (justified) argument.

However, once Brady won his fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh rings, the debate ended. After winning those titles, and setting countless regular season and postseason records (many of them while over 40 years old), Brady stood alone as the best. 

Being a champion at the highest level matters in this debate. Winning in high-stakes games matters. It’s what separates guys like Brady, Montana, and Bradshaw from guys like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Joe Burrow. 

The latter trio are all phenomenal quarterbacks, but have yet to win when it counts like the former trio. Your legacy gets defined by results, and Brady has the most meaningful results. Oh, he’s also 2-0 against Mahomes in the playoffs.

To be fair, Mahomes is building a strong case to be the best quarterback in NFL history. He’s got great arm talent, a knack for winning in the clutch, and the drive to be great. Mahomes has won two Super Bowls already, and could easily get a third next month. 

Of all the people in this generation of quarterbacks, Mahomes has the best chance of surpassing Brady. But until then, Brady remains the G.O.A.T. by a large margin. Mahomes needs to keep building his resume.

Hill didn’t insert race in her opinion, but she was nonetheless wrong. That’s not entirely uncommon for her.