Tom Brady shares honest take on Patrick Mahomes' leadership ahead of Super Bowl 59

As Patrick Mahomes stands one win from his fourth Super Bowl ring, Tom Brady has highlighted the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback's exceptional leadership traits.

Brady, who transitioned to the Fox broadcast booth this season, brings a unique perspective having faced Mahomes twice in the playoffs. Their competitive history includes Brady's New England Patriots defeating the Chiefs in the 2018 AFC championship game and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers winning Super Bowl 55.

Speaking on "The Herd" with Colin Cowherd on Friday, Brady opened up about what separates Mahomes from other talented quarterbacks in the league.

"It's the intangibles that he has, the ability to relate to his teammates," Brady said (24:10). "Giving credit to the other players, that's what great leadership is. And when you have a great leader, it adheres the entire team to you and to what your goal is as a team."

The numbers reinforce Brady's assessment. At just 28, Patrick Mahomes has guided Kansas City to five Super Bowl appearances in six years—a feat Brady never accomplished. His playoff record stands at 17-3 (.850), outpacing Brady's 14-3 (.824) mark through their first seven seasons as starters.

Brady's early recognition of Patrick Mahomes' potential

NFL: Super Bowl LIX-Kansas City Chiefs Press Conference - Source: Imagn

Their relationship took root after that 2018 AFC title game when Brady made an unexpected visit to the Chiefs' locker room.

"Hey, I watched you all year," Brady recalled telling Mahomes. "And I just want to tell you, keep doing what you're doing. You're a great leader. And I know you're going to get back here. You're on to the right stuff."

During Wednesday's conference call with reporters, Brady expanded on Patrick Mahomes' competitive drive.

"He's a competitor. He's driven to succeed," Brady said. "He approaches that in practice and the offseason, as well as the games, and that's what it takes to truly be great at what you do."

Brady, who sat down with Mahomes for Sunday's Super Bowl pregame show, expressed genuine support for his successor's pursuit of history:

"There is nobody happier for you than me," Brady told him regarding the potential three-peat—an achievement that eluded the seven-time champion.

The statistics showcase Patrick Mahomes' playoff excellence. His 67.8% completion rate and 105.8 passer rating in postseason games tower over Brady's early career marks of 62.5% and 88.0. Through seven seasons, Mahomes has thrown 43 playoff touchdowns to just eight interceptions.