The Former NFL MVP Didn’t Hold Back With His Mahomes Take
Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes is on track to potentially finish as the best quarterback in NFL history, and that’s including Tom Brady and his seven Super Bowl championships.
Mahomes is one of the game’s purest passers but has also terrorized opposing defenses with his legs to the tune of nearly 2,000 rushing yards and 12 TDs across 98 regular season games.
Mahomes’ creativity and dual-threat ability have helped him lead the Chiefs to four Super Bowl appearances and three championships during his six years as the starter between 2018-23.
However, despite all of Mahomes’ success, one quarterback from the early days of the Super Bowl era put voice behind some beef that he has with the Chiefs QB and all the fanfare Mahomes receives for his so-called unique style of play.
Former Minnesota Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton.
Former Minnesota Vikings QB Fran Tarkenton.
Tony Tomsic-USA TODAY Sports
Former Minnesota Vikings signal-caller and Hall of Fame inductee Fran Tarkenton told Alec Lewis of The Athletic on Tuesday, September 17, that Mahomes has no skill set that Tarkenton didn’t flash first.
“I would be more successful today,” Tarkenton said of playing in the contemporary NFL. “Because the field is spread out more. I watch Patrick Mahomes. Patrick Mahomes doesn’t do anything I didn’t do. Nothing.”
And Tarkenton wasn’t done there.
“Nothing,” Tarkenton reiterated. “I was just the first one who did it … with a fullback and two halfbacks!”
Tarkenton played 18 years in the league from 1961-1978, earning Pro Bowl honors on nine occasions and capturing the MVP Award in 1975. He also led Minnesota to three Super Bowl appearances (1969, 73, 74) but never won a ring.
He threw for north of 47,000 yards along with 342 TDs and 266 INTs across 246 career games played (regular season). Tarkenton also rushed the football 675 times for 3,674 yards (5.4 yards per carry) and 32 TDs.
