Will any NFL player ever surpass Tom Brady's legacy?

Tom Brady's legacy is not just one of the best in NFL history. It is arguably the best among all professional sports. And the craziest thing of all is that he is still building it up to greater heights at the age of 44.

Everyone wants to compare legacies and engage in GOAT debates. But it is difficult to look at a player in the moment and determine their future trajectory. That being said, let's try it anyway.

Can any NFL player ever surpass what Brady has accomplished in the league?

Tom Brady's NFL legacy so far

Tampa Bay Buccaneers v Carolina Panthers

Looking at Brady's career records tells the story, and it is important to remember that he is still not done. Brady has won seven Super Bowls and was named MVP of the game in five of those.

He has been NFL MVP three different times and just set a record by being named to his 15th Pro Bowl. He leads the NFL all-time in passing yards with over 83,000, and that number will keep climbing over the final two weeks of the season. Drew Brees is the only other NFL quarterback in history to eclipse the 80,000-yard mark.

Brady has a career touchdown total of 618 and is the first player to ever go over 600. If he plays even just one more season, his records may become untouchable.

There is still the chance that Brady will retire with an eighth Super Bowl and more MVP awards to his name. So who can catch him?

Only 1 NFL player stands a chance

Pittsburgh Steelers v Kansas City Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes is the only current player who can even fathom living up to Brady's legacy. He already has a Super Bowl title to his name, has been named MVP, and has been to four Pro Bowls by the age of 26.

So let's say, which is hypothetical, that Mahomes also plays near the age of 44. That gives him nearly two full decades to keep adding to his totals. And if he is like Brady, which would be required in this discussion, that means his skills won't decline with time.

Mahomes has 147 touchdowns so far in four seasons as a starter. He also had 50 in the 2018 season alone. So if he averages 30 per season over the next 15 years, he would approach Brady's mark as it stands now. Mahomes will also have an extra game per season to do just that, which will equate to a full extra season of games by the time his career comes to an end.

But the only way to take on Brady's legacy is to win many more Super Bowls. Even winning one put Mahomes' name into legend. But can he win six more? What about even just one more?

What Brady has done is hard to fathom, and it will take a quarterback winning, at least, three Super Bowls early on in their career to even approach the level of where Brady is at the age of 44. So until Mahomes wins his second, this is all just a fun hypothetical with any comparison to Brady.

---