Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy has once again ignited controversy, this time targeting Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes—a three-time Super Bowl MVP and arguably the NFL’s brightest star. While Mahomes’ résumé (Super Bowl LIV, LVII, and LVIII wins) cements him as a generational talent, Portnoy’s polarizing comparison of the Chiefs’ phenom to Tom Brady has divided fans. The media mogul’s unflinching stance cuts to the core of football’s eternal “GOAT” debate, but his reasoning hinges on a contentious argument that’s now going viral.
Dave Portnoy’s bombshell claim
Portnoy’s take, delivered during an appearance on Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay podcast, dismisses Mahomes’ historic achievements with a single criterion: head-to-head results. “Brady beat Mahomes every time it truly counted,” Portnoy asserted, referencing two career-defining clashes.
2018 AFC Championship: Brady’s Patriots edged Mahomes’ Chiefs 37-31 in overtime, advancing to Super Bowl LIII.
Super Bowl LV (2021): A 44-year-old Brady dominated Mahomes 31-9, securing his seventh ring with the Buccaneers.
For Dave Portnoy, these losses stain Patrick Mahomes’ legacy irreparably. “If they played, and Brady’s at the end of his career… he still won. Now, if Mahomes wins seven Super Bowls in a row? Different story,” he conceded.
The argument sidelines stats, MVPs, and era-adjusted dominance, reducing greatness to two games.
By the Numbers: Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady (First 8 Seasons)
While Portnoy dismisses stats, Mahomes’ early-career performance eclipses Brady’s:
Category Patrick Mahomes Tom Brady
Passing Yards 32,352 26,370
Touchdowns 245 197
Interceptions 74 88
Super Bowl Wins 3 3
Super Bowl MVPs 2 2
Patrick Mahomes also boasts a higher passer rating (103.5 vs. Brady’s 88.4) and more playoff wins (14 vs. 9) in this span. Yet Dave Portnoy contends none of this matters because “Brady won when it mattered.”
Critics of Portnoy’s take highlight key factors:
Team Dynamics: Brady’s Patriots/Buccaneers defenses allowed 17.6 PPG in their playoff wins against Mahomes; the Chiefs’ defenses averaged 26.6 PPG allowed in those losses.
Coaching: Andy Reid vs. Bill Belichick schematics played a role, as did offensive line disparities (Mahomes was sacked 13 times in Super Bowl LV alone).
Longevity: Brady’s 23-year career vs. Mahomes’ 8 seasons (and counting). At 28, Mahomes has time to close the ring gap.
Why this debate resonates
Portnoy’s stance taps into sports’ obsession with legacy comparisons, but it oversimplifies a nuanced discussion. Brady’s seven Super Bowls and 10 appearances remain untouched, but Patrick Mahomes’ unprecedented efficiency (he’s never had a season passer rating below 105) and improvisational genius redefine quarterback excellence.
The debate also exposes generational divides. Older fans venerate Brady’s clutch poise; younger audiences marvel at Mahomes’ highlight-reel wizardry. Dave Portnoy, a Boston native and Brady loyalist, arguably conflates fandom with objectivity.
Portnoy’s hot take isn’t about stats—it’s about narrative control. By framing Brady’s two wins over Mahomes as legacy-defining, he dismisses the Chiefs QB’s era of dominance. But with Mahomes chasing a historic three-peat in 2025, the conversation is far from over. As one NFL analyst quipped: “Tom Brady’s legacy is set in stone. Mahomes? He’s still carving his.”