by Izzy Mignardi ‘27 on February 5, 2026

---

Sports - NFL

---

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye has taken not only New Englanders, but all Americans, by storm. His youth, charisma, and talent have impressed Patriots and non-Patriots fans alike. Likewise, his wife has become America’s sweetheart, New England’s “Queen of the North.” Ann Michael Maye won the hearts of many not just with her steadfast love for her husband, but because of her love for his fans, too.

The couple’s love story begins in seventh grade. They continued to date throughout college at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In January of 2025, Drake Maye proposed. The following June, the two were married when the quarterback was just 22 years old and she 21. 

This past December, Ann Michael Maye gained media attention of her own, going viral for her videos completely unrelated to football. In her “Bakemas” series, she recorded herself baking different desserts or treats every day of December. She posted these to her TikTok page, where Patriots fans immediately flooded the comments, insisting that she feed their beloved quarterback well. “Gisele never baked cookies for us,” many wrote in reference to Tom Brady’s ex-wife, Gisele Bündchen. Clearly, with every video posted, Ann Michael Maye formed a closer connection with Patriots fans. They were no longer simply football fans, but Ann Michael Maye fans. 

Arguably the biggest of these fans is none other than Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports. Portnoy proceeded to post videos of himself following Ann Michael Maye’s recipes. On Christmas Eve, Ann Michael joined Portnoy on one of his iconic pizza reviews in Needham, MA. If New Englanders didn’t love her before, they certainly couldn’t resist now. Her and Portnoy’s video generated an overwhelming boom in business for Gianni’s Deli and Pizza and a surge of New England pride. 

Now, Ann Michael Maye’s popularity has grown so much that she’s received the recognition of NBC Sports Boston, who offered her her own cooking show titled “Beyond Bakemas.” Portnoy even appeared in an episode. Clearly, Ann Michael Maye’s charisma (a trait shared with her husband) has won the hearts of the public. In turn, the public approval has launched her to successes unrelated to football. If there was ever a “WAG” who lived in the shadows, it certainly is not Ann Michael Maye. 

by Izzy Mignardi ’27 and Dorothée Durivage ’28 on December 11, 2025

---

Sports

---

NBA

Christmas is just around the corner and holiday magic can be felt anywhere. The NBA is no exception, as it has annually played games on Christmas Day since the league’s inception in the late 1940s. As tradition wants it, Christmas games are the perfect opportunity to spotlight the top teams, rivalries, and stars, bringing in some of the best ratings of the season. This year’s games will be no different; the league has set up five consecutive nationally televised games. In an attempt to highlight special narratives and heated rivalries, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be playing against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, pitting two competitive Eastern Conference teams against each other. The Knicks have played the most Christmas Day games out of all 30 NBA teams, with this game marking their 58th appearance. The league’s defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, will be receiving the San Antonio Spurs in Oklahoma City for an opportunity to play against the Spurs’ rising star, Victor Wembanyama. Christmas Day’s main rivalry will take place in Los Angeles when the Lakers face the Houston Rockets, with two rival stars, LeBron James and Kevin Durant, fighting for their team’s win. LA’s Lakers are tied with the Knicks for the team with the most wins on the holiday, with 25 each. The NBA’s youngest player, Cooper Flagg, will be making his first appearance in a Christmas Day game since being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks last June. Dallas will travel to San Francisco for their game against the Golden State Warriors. With a Western Conference meeting to close off this Holiday’s games, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be heading to Denver to play the Nuggets, pitting Anthony Edwards and Nikola Jokic against each other. This game in the West will close out a 13-hour run of nonstop games for the league, making it a day packed with exciting matchups. 
– Dorothée Durivage ’28
Sports Staff

NFL

Turkey in the oven, cranberry sauce on the stove, family around the table, and football on the TV. Thanksgiving Day football is an American pastime, a staple of the holiday. Even those who couldn’t care less about the sport find comfort in the sound of the games on TV while holiday preparations begin.

This year, while food was still in the oven, the Green Bay Packers beat the Detroit Lions 31–24. Then, the game might have been muted while dinner was served as the Dallas Cowboys beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a tight game, with a final score of 31–28. Finally, as the holiday came to a close, the Cincinnati Bengals won against the Baltimore Ravens 32–14.

Whether or not your team is playing, the games bring together everyone in the house. An argument or two might arise if someone wants to flip channels back and forth to the parade. Like the parade, the games and the holiday are forever linked. This tradition is one incomparable to any other sport, because not only does it unite (or divide) families in their homes, but it unites people across the country. 57.2 million people tuned into the Cowboys vs. Chiefs 4:30 p.m. game, making it the most viewed regular season game in NFL history. 

Other sports, like basketball, average around 5.25 million viewers on their holiday games, proving that Thanksgiving Day football is truly unparalleled in its importance for sports fans and non-sports fans alike.
– Izzy Mignardi ’27
Sports Staff

by Victoria Miele ’28 on December 11, 2025

---

Sports - NFL

---

On Nov. 12, NFL player Robert Gronkowski signed a one-day contract with the New England Patriots so he could retire as a Patriot. 

In the second round of the NFL draft in 2010, Gronkowski was selected as a tight-end by the Patriots, where he played for nine seasons, winning three Super Bowls. He finished his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing for two seasons and winning his fourth career Super Bowl.

It was almost no time at all before Pats fans got to know the real Gronk. Immediately after being drafted, he and his brothers celebrated on stage in such a loud manner that Gronk was quickly called by head coach Bill Belichick in an attempt to settle the newest Pats player down. Gronk’s fun-loving personality could not be tapered down, and he continued to amp up Pats fans for his whole career.

Gronkowski is the fourth of five boys and grew up in Amherst, NY. Growing up, the Gronkowski brothers played baseball, hockey, and football, although they were not allowed to start football until the seventh grade, per their parents’ request.

Even with a later start, Gronk’s athleticism carried him to be a fantastic player. He played his senior year of high school in Pittsburgh at Woodland Hills High School, where he was named a first-team all-conference and all-state player. Gronk is well known for his dumb jock persona in the NFL and he is constantly teased for suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder that can result from being concussed a number of times. However, in high school, he had a 3.75 GPA and scored 1560 out of 2400 on his SAT.

Post high school, Gronk committed to play football at the University of Arizona. During his first two years there, he scored 16 touchdowns and had over 1,000 passing yards. During his third year, he suffered from a back injury, but his statistics from the first two seasons were enough to gain interest from the NFL. He was drafted byBelichick and the Patriots in 2010, and his career quickly took off.

In his rookie season of 2010, Gronk caught 10 touchdown passes and had 546 yards. His next season, he got even better with 18 touchdowns, one rushing and 17 passing which is the highest record in the league in a single season. Gronk suffered a number of injuries in the following years and had many surgeries to address ankle problems, a broken forearm, and a torn ACL and MCL.

Gronk played 15 games in 2014 and helped the Patriots win the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks with six receptions and one touchdown. He suffered more injuries and was benched because of them in 2016 when he won his second Super Bowl ring. He was back in 2017, where he became the third tight-end to record four seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards.

During Gronk’s last season as a Patriot, he helped the team win against the Los Angeles Rams for his third Super Bowl ring. At the age of 29, Gronk announced he no longer wanted to play football and retired. However, after taking a year off, he decided he was not quite done and signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In his first season at Tampa Bay with quarterback Tom Brady, the team won the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs. Gronk caught two touchdown passes from Brady early in the game, and they maintained their lead. He played one more season with the Bucs before again announcing his retirement.

However, Gronk’s love for New England never faded despite his short time in Tampa Bay. He signed a one-day contract so that he could finally retire once and for all with the team that launched his career, forever known as a Patriot.

by Connor Whalen ’28 and Dorothée Durivage ’28 on November 6, 2025

---

Sports

---

Providence College Investigates: NFL

Bills by Connor Whalen ’28

The Buffalo Bills have won the AFC East division every single year since the COVID-19  pandemic. With Drake Maye and the New England Patriots taking the division by storm, it will be a tall order for the Bills to continue that streak. Yet, they still are almost a shoo-in to take a playoff spot, and though it will be tough, they have a chance to take the division, which is exactly why they will need to bring reinforcements before the NFL trade deadline. 

The Bills will never get a better opportunity than this year to win a Super Bowl under their current personnel. Lamar Jackson’s multi-week injury has seen the Baltimore Ravens suffer to a 3–5 record, potentially now at risk of missing the playoffs. After the Bills’ statement win over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, the Chiefs dropped to third in their division. The Steelers look primed to win the AFC North under a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers, well past his prime. The Colts have looked great to start the year, but are largely inexperienced, and it remains to be seen if Daniel Jones can be a big-time playoff performer. The bottom line is: the AFC is weak. With Josh Allen’s play style, who knows how many years he has left? The Bills are a great team that can truly win it all if they fill a few gaps, making this trade deadline so crucial.

Their most glaring need is rush defense help. The Bills allow the second-fewest yards in the air per game in the NFL—which has carried their defense this year–but rank the No. 5 worst in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game. They will need to bring in at least a couple of defensive linemen and hope they can help to address the problem. 

Their other big need is at wide receiver, Allen has not quite been able to put up the same passing numbers as he did before Stefon Diggs left after the 2023 season. Since then, Buffalo has lacked the presence of a clear number one receiver. The Bills have the third-best offensive line in the NFL, an absolutely elite running back in James Cook, some solid offensive weapons, a great pass defense, and one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. If this team can shore up their run defense and give Allen at least one notable receiver to work with, Buffalo Bills fans could end up seeing their team lift the Lombardi Trophy this year for the first time in franchise history.

Steelers by Dorothée Durivage ’28

As the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline approaches, the Pittsburgh Steelers have room to grow and improve. The Steelers acquired safety Kyle Dugger, as well as a seventh-round pick from the New England Patriots, on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Dugger has had 17 tackles in seven games so far this season. This trade will help to fill the Steelers’ need for safeties due to their struggling defense and the high number of injuries that the team has been suffering. Pittsburgh is also looking to upgrade their wide receivers. As of right now, running backs Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren, as well as tight ends Jonnu Smith and Pat Freiermuth, each have more catches than any other wide receiver, highlighting the need to upgrade. There have been talks that the Steelers could acquire Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a free agent who played with Aaron Rodgers on the Green Bay Packers. He had 13 touchdowns in Green Bay and led the league in 2020 with 20.9 yards per reception. Valdes-Scantling had six touchdowns that season, a career-high. Coming back to playing with an old teammate could mean that there is potential for faster growth from Valdes-Scantling, seeing as he has already held the position of Aaron Rodgers’ wide receiver in the past. Another trade candidate for the wide receiver position is Calvin Ridley of the Tennessee Titans. He’s surpassed the 1,000-yard receiving mark three times in his career, including in 2020, when he made 90 catches for 1,374 yards, which could be exactly what Pittsburgh needs. Ridley has two more years remaining on a four-year, $92 million deal he signed in 2024 with the Titans, but has been heavily involved in trade talks. If the team is able to pull all of this together, the Steelers could be the most improved team this trade season. 

by Chris Sama ’27 on October 23, 2025

---

Sports

---

After losing to the Los Angeles Chargers in week six on Oct. 12, the Miami Dolphins picked up their fifth loss of the season, making them 1–5 overall. In a post-game press conference, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa criticized his teammates for being late to, or even missing, player-only meetings as a major factor contributing to their losing streak. Tagovailoa described it as a leadership issue that needs to be addressed so the team can fix “the little things.”

While Tagovailoa meant well, he faced a lot of public backlash for airing out their issues as a team instead of privately addressing them, which could cause more scrutiny for certain players.There were also criticisms regarding Tagovailoa himself and his performance in the game and season overall. Coach Mike McDaniel publicly stated that the message had been received by the team, but wasn’t appropriately delivered. Tagovailoa apologized three days later during a Dolphins media conference, saying that he “made a mistake” and that he’s “owning up to it right now” as his emotions got the best of him. He further explained that it wasn’t right for him to address private issues to the media, and that these issues start with his leadership, character, and decision-making. 

On Sunday, Oct. 19, the Dolphins faced off against the Cleveland Browns in Ohio, who now have a 2–5 record and lost 31–6. This is such a bad loss for the Dolphins that it is rumored McDaniel could get fired. This victory broke a 12-game streak for the Browns of scoring less than 17 points. The Browns capitalized on four turnovers from the Dolphins that ended up as touchdowns, including one of three interceptions thrown from Tagovailoa. The only other team that the Dolphins have beaten was the New York Jets, who remain winless so far this season, showing serious concerns for the future of the Dolphins. 

Their chances for making the playoffs this season are now extremely low, and McDaniel is scrambling to get the team back to its former playoff caliber. Coach McDaniel had high expectations this season as he had led the Dolphins to the playoffs twice, including in 2022 when Tagovailoa had two major concussions and sat out for some regular season and playoff games. He is primarily known for being a great offensive coach, but after Tyreek Hill suffered a season-ending knee injury during their win against the Jets, he has struggled to get the offense to its full strength. McDaniel has a lot to prove in these upcoming games, and based on Tagovailoa’s comments, has to instill more discipline in his team. 

The Miami Dolphins play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, Oct. 26, and the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday, Oct. 30. If they win these two games, there could be some hope for the Dolphins, but looking at the current state they’re in now, it seems unlikely.

by Izzy Mignardi ’27 and Emilia Farrell ’28 on October 23, 2025

---

Sports

---

Providence College Investigates: Bill Belichick

Harming

Bill Belichick is widely regarded as one of the best head coaches in NFL history. Most notably, he led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles, the most of any NFL head coach. But at 73 years old, his coaching experience should stay within the NFL to preserve his legacy. In December of 2024, Belichick signed a five-year contract to become the head coach of the University of North Carolina’s football team. Belichick’s performance so far has been hard to watch. North Carolina is currently 2–4 and has yet to have a win against a major conference opponent. Three of those losses were blowouts, with UNC losing by at least 25 points each time. On Friday, Oct. 17, the Tarheels lost 21–18 to UC Berkeley in a game in which North Carolina fumbled at the one-yard line in what should have been the go-ahead touchdown with three minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. There are few signs of progress for this team under Belichick. Time after time, the team fails to rise to the occasion on the field. Belichick was once the best coach in the NFL, but his move to collegiate football has been plagued by a losing streak as well as internal discourse and off-field scandals concerning Jordon Hudson, Belichick’s 24-year-old girlfriend. UNC took a bet on Belichick, a living legend that they believed would greatly improve their program. Instead, Belichick has plagued a program that was once much more respectable. As the team moves into the second half of the season, it seems unlikely that they will be able to turn things around. In taking and performing poorly in the job at UNC, Belichick has ruined his reputation and legacy as one of the greatest in football history.

Helping

Lately, when you hear the name Bill Belichick in the news, it’s not associated with incredible football victories. Instead, it’s likely followed by, “and his 24-year-old girlfriend, Jordon Hudson…” Has Belichick’s taste in women entirely ruined his reputation as one of the greatest coaches in football history? It depends on who you ask. Do I think this relationship is weird and disturbing? Absolutely. But do I think that his judgment negates the fact that he is one of the most successful football coaches? Not really. I’m sure die-hard football fans, especially Patriots fans, would still agree that he remains an indisputable great in the coaching world. Belichick holds several different coaching records. During his time with the Patriots, the team won 17 AFC East titles and appeared in nine Super Bowls, winning six. Belichick coached them to their first Super Bowl victory and led the historic Super Bowl LI game when the Patriots came back from a 28–3 deficit. Additionally, he won two Super Bowls during his time as defensive coordinator for the Giants. This means Belichick has won more Super Bowls than any other coach in history. In his book, The Art of Winning: Lessons from My Life in Football, he underscores one of the key aspects to his success: preparation. As a coach, he was prepared for every game and every possible situation. He held his players and himself accountable. “Do your job,” he’d say. Now, his job is to coach the UNC Tar Heels. Their current record of 2–4 does not reflect Belichick’s usual winning spirit. Many see his girlfriend on the sidelines before a game and attribute the team’s losses to her. I could agree with this, as I’m sure Belichick might not be as focused on football as he was in the past. So, has his taste in women ruined his reputation? It might affect his current coaching abilities, but I find it entirely unfair to write off Belichick’s football success because of mistakes he might be making in his personal life.

by Izzy Mignardi ’27 on September 25, 2025

---

Sports

---

Serious controversy was sparked on Sept. 14 after Travis Kelce and Tyquan Thornton wore “Free 4” shirts in solidarity with their teammate Rashee Rice. Rice was suspended for the first six games of the NFL season after he caused a high-speed car accident on the highway.

Back in March of 2024, Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was responsible for a six-car pileup on Route 75 in Dallas. Rice was driving over 115 miles per hour in his Lamborghini SUV, racing a Corvette. After excessive maneuvers and high speeds caused several crashes, Rice fled the scene on foot, neglecting to check on those injured, including a three and four-year-old. 

In July, he pled guilty to charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway, causing bodily injury. His sentence includes five years on probation, during which he will have to spend 30 days in Dallas jail. He also owes $115,000 in restitution, as well as $1 million in a civil settlement to victim Kathryn Kuykendall. Rice’s lawyers say he recognizes “that that was a stupid mistake,” and that going forward, he is going to better himself by volunteering with children and local pastors to educate people on the dangers of reckless driving.

Rice released a statement reading, “I deeply regret the actions I took that day and the harm they caused others. This was a moment of immense failure on my part.” 

Victims, lawyers, and football fans were outraged when Kelce and Thornton wore the warm-up shirts at last week’s game. Kuykendall’s lawyer, Marc Lenahan, said, “Rashee isn’t Nelson Mandela or Pepe Mujica, men who fought for what they believed in. There is evidence that Rashee was going 119 mph in a $1,749 per day Lambo rental that had pot and a pistol in it, on a highway on Easter weekend.” Lenahan continued by explaining that if his teammates really supported him, they would lend him the money to help pay his victims, who are still awaiting reparations. Additionally, others on social media are equally angered by the stunt. Sportswriter Ben Cummins described how Kelce should feel “embarrassed” for wearing a shirt that is so “illogical.” 

Chiefs Coach Andy Reid defended his players, saying, “I just think that those guys, they love the kid and want him to feel part of it in their own way. I really don’t think it’s anything more than that.” While the team clearly sees this as an effort to support their teammate, most others read it as disrespectful toward the victims and dismissive of his actions. They argue that had Rice not been a successful football player, the reaction would have been quite different.

The Chiefs are currently 0–2 without Rice. He will be eligible to play again on Oct.19.

by npatano on March 31, 2022

---

The Scowl

---

Aaron Rodgers ’22

Discount Double Check

In an offseason full of changes and surprises, arguably the biggest surprise was when Tom Brady announced via Instagram that he was retiring from the NFL. The 44-year-old, 7-time Super Bowl champion had finally decided to trade in the cleats and shoulder pads for more time with his family at home. 

The retirement, however, was marred with controversy as many fans believed it was “fake” and a “power play” by Brady. Others were upset with the fact that Brady did not acknowledge the New England Patriots, the organization with which Brady spent most of his career, or their fans in his farewell statement.

Well, all the speculation ended this month when Brady announced that he was unretiring and returning to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Brady’s retirement, which began with his statements on Feb. 1, lasted a little less than two months. That alone must be a record speed for shortest retirement for an athlete and surely adds another record to the many the greatest quarterback of all time has. 

With that said, Brady is still a few retirements shy of Favre’s three, an accomplishment that no doubt will stand for quite some time.

When asked about Brady’s unretirement, Favre told The Scowl, “I’m happy for him. Tom is one of the best and he excels at whatever he does. So, I’m sure he will handle this right, with class, and make it spectacular.” 

When asked what made Brady’s unretirement so great, Favre said, “Everything about it! Clearly this was something Tom had been planning for quite some time. You don’t just do something like this on the fly. The rumors surrounding his retirement, the shortness of it, the game of chicken between him and Bucs’ management. It truly was a work of art.”

Favre has retired quite a few times and even switched teams after coming of retirement before, so he knows a thing or two about the game. “I gotta say man, makes you itch to get back in it,” Favre said. “I’m a bit jealous. I mean, shoot, you had all this offseason drama with Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, and Khalil Mack all switching teams. 

Those are all likely future Hall of Famers, yet all anyone talked about was Tom.” At this point Favre started to seem a bit restless. You could see a competitive fire growing in his eyes. When asked if he had any final remarks or well wishes for Tom Brady, Favre emphatically stated, “Yea, I do. Hold my beer, Tom. I can’t let you just come in here and dominate the retirement game. I’m coming back. I know there are still a few teams that could use an ol’ gunslinger.”

When reached for comment, Wrangler Jeans said they will work with whatever team Favre signs with to create a schedule for filming jeans commercials around his football responsibilities. The Scowl also reached out to Michael Jordan to see if he had any comments, but he was too busy playing Tiger Woods for money at Pebble Beach that he declined to comment.

by npatano on February 17, 2022

---

Sports

---

By Joe Quirk ’23

Sports Staff

What a game. Super Bowl LVI was this past Sunday, Feb. 13 and really capped off a spectacular NFL regular and postseason. The game was played at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, CA, home to both the Los Angeles Chargers and the Los Angeles Rams during the regular season.

The Rams were always expected to be here. Head coach Sean McVay is one of the youngest coaches in the NFL and is heralded as an offensive genius. He has taken the Rams to the Super Bowl before, only to lose to the New England Patriots. But he and team general manager Les Snead would not be denied again. They went and got star power. They traded for stars such as quarterback Matthew Stafford from the Detroit Lions and pass-rusher Von Miller from the Denver Broncos, and signed wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. when he was released from the Cleveland Browns. All of this added to a core that already featured top-tier talents such as Leonard Floyd, Aaron Donald, and Jalen Ramsey on defense and Cooper Kupp, Andrew Whitworth, and Robert Woods on offense.

The Bengals, on the other hand, had a miracle run to get here. Just a few years ago they had the worst record in the NFL and the first overall pick in the draft, selecting Louisiana State University quarterback Joe Burrow. 

Unfortunately, Burrow would suffer significant ligament damage to his knee midway through his rookie campaign and miss the remainder of the season. The Bengals finished last in their division again and used the fifth overall pick in the draft on LSU wide receiver and former teammate of Burrow’s, Ja’Marr Chase. 

The rest of the Bengals group was slowly coming together. They had talented safeties but questionable corners. They had taken some fliers on the defensive and offensive line—only the defensive line panned out. The one undisputed fact was the skill position talent this team had. Chase joined a wide receiver room featuring promising young receivers such as Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd and star running back Joe Mixon.

Both the Rams and the Bengals fought hard to win three games before reaching Super Bowl LVI. The Rams took care of business, winning two of their three games by only three points. The Bengals had some close finishes, including a field-goal in overtime against the defending Super Bowl Champion, the Kansas City Chiefs, to send them to the Super Bowl. 

Now for the game itself; the scoring started early when Beckham Jr., who was resurrecting his career with these playoffs, caught a touchdown over the head of a Bengalscornerback. 

The Bengals responded, getting rookie kicker Evan McPherson into range for a field goal to make it 7-3 Rams at the end of the first half. It was an exciting first half and looked to be a close game early on. Stafford and the Rams responded as best they could, and Stafford found Kupp for an eleven-yard touchdown in the second quarter. However, a fumbled snap led to a botched point-after-attempt, so the Rams only walked away with six. 

Around this time, star wideout Beckham Jr. suffered a non-contact knee injury. The Bengals wanted to end the half only down three and dialed up a trick play where Mixon found Higgins in the endzone for six. Cincinnati was fired up for the second half, as Burrow hit Higgins for a 75-yard score on the first play. A Stafford interception led to another Bengals field goal. This gave the Bengals a seven-point lead, which was cut into later with a Matt Gay field goal for the Rams. Then, after a scoring drought in the fourth quarter, Stafford found Super Bowl MVP Kupp in the endzone for an 11-yard game winning score. The Rams were victorious, winning 23-20 and capping off a fantastic NFL season. 

by on February 4, 2021

---

Sports

---

by Ryan Carius ’21

Sports Staff

The first NFL season during the COVID-19 pandemic will come to a close on Feb. 7 in Tampa Bay. The main story headed into the matchup is the two quarterbacks under center as Super Bowl LV will feature arguably the two most renowned quarterbacks competing in the league. This competition between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes has more than the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line.

Although neither quarterback will admit it, this game is for bragging rights. Brady’s route to the Super Bowl was not easy. After dispatching Taylor Heinicke of the Washington Football Team in the Wild Card matchup, Brady defeated two legends in both Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers to get to the big game. If Brady can complete this run by defeating Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, it will add yet another impressive accomplishment to his unmatched resume. Although, he certainly has enough on his resume regardless of the outcome of Super Bowl LV.

For Mahomes, facing Brady in the Super Bowl should be enough motivation for the star QB to play his best. However, this game also serves as revenge for the 2019 AFC Championship Game, in which the New England Patriots defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime, 37-31.

Mahomes’s rise to stardom has taken a much different path than Brady’s, but ever since starting for the Chiefs in his second season, Mahomes has been one of the best players in the entire NFL. In just his third year as the starting quarterback for the Chiefs, Mahomes is now in his second Super Bowl and is favored to collect his second Lombardi Trophy. Although two Super Bowls would not be enough for Mahomes to compete with Brady’s legacy just yet, the potential is there. Indeed, if Mahomes continues at this pace, it may very well be enough to ask the question: will Mahomes someday replace Brady as the Greatest of All Time?

One day, when Mahomes’s career is over, there will be much comparison between the two quarterbacks’ career statistics. If one measures greatness by career titles, it is hard to imagine supplanting Brady’s six, and potentially soon seven, Super Bowl titles. However, given that Mahomes could win his second title in just three seasons as starting quarterback, he is on pace to pass Brady if he has a successful 20-season career.

It is also worth examining statistics like passer rating, passing yards, or touchdowns in one’s pursuit of naming the GOAT. Although Brady has thrown for the most TDs in NFL history, he is not the number one quarterback in passer rating or passing yards. What makes Tom Brady stand out is his tremendous success during the postseason. Tom Brady is 30-11 in the postseason with a win percentage of 73.1%. He’s also thrown for 73 touchdowns. In comparison, Patrick Mahomes has played in only seven playoff games with a record of six wins and one loss, about a winning percentage of 85%. During that span, he threw 17 TD passes, a number which will surely increase during this Super Bowl and his many playoff games yet to come.

With these impressive numbers in just three postseasons, Mahomes will be compared to Tom Brady throughout the remainder of his career. For this reason, the argument of whether or not Patrick Mahomes will replace Tom Brady as the GOAT is yet to be determined. There are also other factors to consider, such as who had the better coach, better team, and tougher opponents throughout their respective careers. However, if Brady can win this game and prove that his success did not just come from a partnership with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, he will permanently cement himself as a true winner, regardless of what organization he plays for.

On the other hand, what makes Patrick Mahomes so appealing to most football fans is the possibility of him being a generational player that can also compete for the title of the Greatest of All Time at the quarterback position. While it might be nice to believe Mahomes can capture this accolade, it will take a very long and successful career to catch up to Brady, a pursuit which will make the NFL entertaining to watch for years to come.