Tom Brady weighs in on which quarterback could take his GOAT status

People probably ask Tom Brady this all the time. Who’s the next you? This week, NBA icon Shaquille O’Neal quizzed the NFL legend about a possible legend-to-be.

Brady does a weekly podcast called “Let’s Go.” Shaq was a guest this week. He wanted to know who Brady thought might be capable of replicating his iconic career. It’s definitely going to be difficult for a quarterback to win seven Super Bowls and stick around a physical league for 22 years.

Tom Brady named an obvious candidate — Patrick Mahomes. Brady beat Mahomes in February 2021, for Brady’s final Super Bowl win. That one came as quarterback for the Bucs. But Mahomes has won two Super Bowl rings and his Chiefs are the reigning NFL champs.

“I think, when I’m looking at guys in pro football, quarterbacks, you know, Patrick is the one that really stands out,” Tom Brady told Shaq. “They’ve done a great job since he’s really taken over and he’s got a really great coach — like I was fortunate [to have] and you were fortunate [to have] — that helps you and is there for you when things are going good, and not good. Gives you the humble pie when things are going good and knows how to pick you up when things aren’t good, but it’s going to be interesting.”

And here’s why it’s interesting. Since Tom Brady retired in February, there aren’t many quarterbacks in the NFL who have started and won Super Bowls. Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford still are around. But Rodgers is recuperating from Achilles surgery and will be 40 in early December. Wilson’s career has nose-dived with the Broncos. And Stafford missed much of last season with an injury.

Joe Flacco and Nick Foles started and won Super Bowls. Both are free agents, but don’t have roster spots.

That brings Tom Brady to another observation. If you want to come close to replicating his records, you need to be a hearty quarterback.

“People have to do it for a long time, I did it for a long time,” Tom Brady said. “When I look at my career, I was able to do it every single year for basically every single game. I only missed twice: Once when I got suspended for four games and once when I tore my ACL. Every game wasn’t perfect, but every game was pretty good. Most of the time, I never put our team in a position to lose and there are very few guys like that, that I’m watching over and over and over.”

Mahomes, at 28, could probably stick around for a ton more seasons. But Tom Brady also believes a current trend of more athletic quarterbacks also could preclude anyone from reaching his records.

“Running quarterbacks don’t last that long, so I don’t know who can play 21 years, I really don’t,” Tom Brady said. “I know what it took and it took a lot. I’m sure some of the people have ambitions to try, but there are a lot of things that need to go your way. The only reason why I was able to do it was because I had so many people there to support me, physically, mentally, emotionally.

“From Day 1 that I got drafted all the way to my last day as a Buccaneer. I had people there who were in my corner, the best group of people to support me and I wanted to show up and do my part to give back to them, too.”