Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions again. They have won their 3rd Super Bowl in 4 finals appearances. A rare feat in the world of the NFL. This brought out a bizarre comparison from former player and current commentator Tony Romo. Romo compared Mahomes with possibly basketball’s greatest player ever, Michael Jordan.
After the end of the Super Bowl LVIII, Romo while commentating claimed live on national television;
He is the best. He is the standard. The Michael Jordan!
This comparison is bizarre even though Patrick Mahomes has won his third Super Bowl and second of a back-to-back in four appearances. Such a run is unprecedented in the NFL. It is a team sport requiring 53 players. However, the individual brilliance of a basketball player has a much greater effect on the outcome of an NBA game than that of an NFL player. If Mahomes does not play in the game for any reason, the rest of the squad can still string together impressive performances and sneak a win.
Jordan dominated the NBA Finals games he appeared in. His performances were the reason, the Chicago Bulls became the best team in the league for a decade. The Bulls did not win when Jordan retired, both times. That was his impact. That was how important he was to the team.
Of course, if Mahomes does not play in the Super Bowl, there is a high chance the results might vary. But his individual brilliance can never be enough in a football game. The win is a result of the collective efforts of the entire squad.
The key differences between Patrick Mahomes and Michael Jordan’s wins
An NFL team needs 53 players, countless coaches, and training staff to win a Super Bowl. The NBA in comparison, requires only 15 players, 3-4 coaches, and a much smaller support staff. Mahomes needs the rest of his 10 offensive starters, 11 defensive starters, 11 special teams players, etc. to play well. Which they did tonight to win the Super Bowl with a score of 25-22.
Jordan on the other hand, just needed 2-3 superstars, and 3-4 bench players along with a great head coach to win 6 out of 6 titles. The two cannot be compared. If it was that easy, then Tom Brady should have more than the 7 championships he has. But he had to go through 9 years before winning his 4th.
If only it was that easy, then everyone could be Jordan-esque in their sporting fields. But there is only one Michael Jordan. And no one has come close to matching his achievements as a winner.
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