"You're looking at him" - Rex Ryan names NFL's next Tom Brady and it's not Patrick Mahomes

Until Tom Brady retires, one question that's continuously asked is, "Who will be the next Tom Brady?" Brady's greatness since entering the NFL in 2000 has been unrivaled.

With Drew Brees and Peyton Manning retiring, people have clamored for answers on who the next face of the NFL will be in Brady's shoes.

Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson have claims to Brady's throne. But according to former NFL head coach Rex Ryan, Joe Burrow is the likeliest to fill Brady's shoes.

Ryan spoke on ESPN's NFL Countdown Sunday. Ryan just watched Burrow lead the Cincinnati Bengals to their first playoff victory since the 1990-91 season.

His clutch play and fearlessness in big games dates back to his college career at LSU. Ryan said,

“To me, you wanna see the next Tom Brady? You’re looking at him right here. You know what, it’s not too big for him. The Bengals haven’t been there. This kid has. He’s won a National Championship, won the Heisman Trophy, he’s a great draft pick for a local kid, he could care less who he plays, and to me that’s Tom Brady.”

Joe Burrow looks the part to perhaps be the next Tom Brady

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow

Appointing Burrow as the next Brady is a bold claim from the former New York Jets head coach. But Ryan is accurate that the Bengals drafted the perfect quarterback for their city.

With how well Burrow has played this season, it's hard to find a reason to dispute his opinion.

The second-year quarterback led the NFL in completion percentage while throwing for the most yards per pass thrown. When faced with a blitz, he made the right decisions.

Before facing the Las Vegas Raiders in the wild-card round, Burrow had a 27 to zero touchdown to interception ratio in playoff atmospheres. He threw for two touchdowns with no interceptions and played as poised as a veteran in his playoff debut.

Despite Burrow's excellence, it was surprising Ryan didn't name Mahomes. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback had the best three-year start to an NFL career out of anyone in history.

His 114 touchdowns and otherworldly arm talent through 2018 and 2020 made him a household name.

Burrow possesses a swagger that inspires his teammates and establishes a winning culture. That's not to say Mahomes doesn't have that because he certainly does.

Both quarterbacks have incredibly bright futures ahead of them. Only time will tell which one of them will have the better career.

With Herbert, Jackson, and Josh Allen in the conversation, the future of the NFL's quarterback position is bright.