Patrick Mahomes is the best closer since Jordan, a comeback king like Brady and more mind-blowing playoff numbers

Patrick Mahomes donned his Superman cape in Super Bowl XVIII and led the Chiefs on life-or-death plays down the field time and time again to win his third Super Bowl MVP. He is the first player in NFL, NBA, NHL or MLB history to win the championship MVP three times in his first seven seasons.

Somehow, The greatest QB talent in NFL history Managing to take his game to a higher level in the postseason is similar to some of the greatest postseason performances in sports history.

Here are five things that will surprise you and remind you of Mahomes’ postseason summary:

1. Best closer since Jordan

Mahomes’ clutch play is similar to that of Michael Jordan, the GOAT. I always like to argue about who you want to have the ball in your hands at the end of the game.

Well, Patrick Mahomes is the best “closer” in NFL history and the best in all sports since Michael Jordan. That became abundantly clear after the Chiefs went 3-for-3 in the fourth quarter and overtime on Sunday.

Under Mahomes, the Chiefs have had 21 potential tying or go-ahead drives in the fourth quarter or overtime of the playoffs. They managed to tie or lead on 15 of those possessions. That’s a good thing for a ridiculous 71% conversion rate, which is the best of any quarterback since the turn of the century — well ahead of Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, who are tied for second. The conversion rate is 53%.

According to Neil Paine, Mahomes went 7-for-7 in the postseason and trailed by seven points or less with less than a minute left in regulation. He’s the only perfect player in these situations since 2001. Tom Brady, meanwhile, went 5-for-11 (46%) compared to the league average of 40% during that period.

This is Michael Jordan stuff. During his playoff career, Jordan attempted 18 game-tying or go-ahead shots in the final 24 seconds of a game. Fifty percent! Kobe Bryant (25%) and LeBron James (37%) can’t make it 50/50. Neither can any other MVP in recent memory: Kevin Durant (26%), Stephen Curry (24%), James Harden (27%), Tim Duncan (29%), Dirk · Nowitzki (39%) or Steve Nash (23%).

Mahomes threw two touchdown passes in overtime in the playoffs. Well, Jordan hit two series-deciding buzzer-beaters: one against Craig Aello in 1989, and another against the Cavaliers in 1993. He scored or assisted five times in the final 10 seconds of the series, including his signature crossover shot and assist. Jump shot vs. Bryon Russell in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals.

Here’s an extra comparison: Mahomes has been blocking like Jordan. MJ is one of the reasons Charles Barkley, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing and Reggie Miller (among others) never won a ring.

Here are the seven quarterbacks Mahomes has beaten in his seven-game playoff streak: Trevor Lawrence, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts, Tua Tagovailoa, Josh ·Allen, Lamar Jackson and Brock Purdy.

2. Comeback kings like Brady

On Sunday, Mahomes added to his comeback saga by winning against the Chiefs after trailing 10-0. He’s now 17-14 in his entire career (regular season and playoffs), the best record in the history of any quarterback (at least five starts) when trailing by double digits. He’s 5-2 in the playoffs, more than 10 points behind (the rest of the NFL is 8-55 since 2018) and 3-1 in the Super Bowl ( The rest of the NFL’s all-time record is 4-48).

The only quarterback with more than double-digit postseason comebacks is Tom Brady, who has a 6-8 record at those positions. Noteworthy: Lee’s 28-3 comeback in the Super Bowl. 2017 AFC Championship Game Falcons vs. Cougars Jaguars (down 10 points in the fourth quarter) and a double-digit fourth quarter comeback against the Jaguars in Super Bowl XLIX. Seahawks. Brady is 2-1 after trailing by more than 10 points in the Super Bowl. He and Mahomes accounted for five of the seven biggest comebacks in Super Bowl history.

3. Move up from the regular season to the playoffs like “Playoff Jimmy”

Mahomes improved his playoff numbers across the board, despite the stakes being higher, the defense better, and the conditions tougher (like one of the coldest games ever).

There are 35 quarterbacks in NFL history who have appeared in at least 10 playoff games. Mahomes is the only player whose numbers improved in all five categories from the regular season to the playoffs in winning percentage, completion percentage, touchdown percentage, interception percentage and rushing yards per game.

So what he does is win more, catch more passes, throw more touchdowns, throw fewer picks…and run more – when the game matters most.

He certainly used his legs in Super Bowl XVIII, recording the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a victory in Super Bowl history (66 yards).

win percentage	.771	.833
Compare percentages	66.5%	67.9%
TD percentage	6.1%	6.1%
INT%	1.8%	1.2%
Crush code/gram	20.2	29.1

I say we call him “Playoff Mahomes,” the same way NBA players get nicknames like “Playoff Rondo” or “Playoff Jimmy.”

In recent years, the latter has made huge progress from the regular season to the playoffs, earning this nickname. Hat tip to Micah Adams (@MAdamsStatGuy) who noted last year that Jimmy Butler is the only player since Michael Jordan’s retirement to improve in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks and efficiency from the regular season to the playoffs of players’ field goal percentage.

4. The full-season value of a playoff game like Jeter’s

Mahomes has now started 18 playoff games, more than he has played in an entire season. Hat tip to Trey Wingo (@wingoz) who said Mahomes is to the NFL what Derek Jeter is to baseball.

Patrick Mahomes’ playoff career: 18 games, 15-3 record, 41 touchdowns, 8 scores, 5,135 passing yards

Derek Jeter’s playoff career:

158 games, .308 average, 20 HR, 200 hits, 111 runs

5.Perfect as a tiger

Mahomes’ postseason numbers continue to rise as he’s been nearly flawless in the last two postseason games. Prior to the Super Bowl, he had made six consecutive starts without an interception, the longest streak by a quarterback in postseason history. In that game, he went three straight games without a sack or fumble, a playoff record.

When I think of consistency and error-free records in sports, I think of Tiger Woods. He holds or equals the PGA Tour record for consecutive promotions at the Masters (23), major events (39) and all events (142). His winning streak at the Masters is tied with Gary Player and Fred Couples for the longest ever. He could set that record in April.

All things considered, it’s no wonder that Mahomes is already the second or third-best quarterback in NFL history in most people’s minds, and is poised to become one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport.