Before the reigning champion Chiefs escaped Highmark Stadium with a 27-24 win over the favored Bills in the AFC divisional round, one of the game's most prolific touchdown tandems added a new chapter to the NFL's history books. Early in the third quarter, Patrick Mahomes connected with his favorite target, Travis Kelce, for a 16th playoff touchdown, moving them past league legends Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski for the most playoff scores all-time by a duo.
The feat didn't go unnoticed by the seven-time Super Bowl champion, either. Brady's stamp of approval was shown on Monday with a social media post on X/Twitter, as he tweeted out, "BEASTS. When you one up Gronk, you're doing something right." Of course, Mahomes' top priority this coming Sunday will be finding a way to reach another Super Bowl with a win over the Ravens. But he appreciates Brady's praise for the record-breaking accomplishment.
"[Kelce] was awesome, and you could tell he set this game up. We've got the most touchdowns between me and him for a reason," Mahomes explained to "The Drive" during his weekly guest appearance on Tuesday. "[The record] is really cool. Tom's the GOAT... It's going to be cool to be able to look back on our careers and say that we were at the top of that list... Every time you see your name with those names around it, you're doing something really cool...
"I watched a lot of Tom, the way he was able to drive down the field and win games, and lead his team. I think that's the biggest thing. When you think of Tom Brady, you think of the ultimate leader -- someone who wants to go out there and give everything they have. I try to do the same stuff. Obviously he's beaten me in the playoffs, so I've seen it firsthand... I'm doing whatever I can to be a leader like him, and try to win as much as he's won and continue to."
While his regular season numbers were undoubtedly below the elite standard he'd set during his first five seasons with the Chiefs, Mahomes hasn't lost his knack for playoff brilliance. He now has 38 career playoff touchdowns, which surpasses legend Drew Brees for the sixth-most in league history. Mahomes also hasn't thrown a pick or been sacked in three straight playoff games, and he happened to check off his first road playoff win against the Bills last week.
The Chiefs will play in their sixth consecutive AFC Championship on Sunday, this time on the road in Baltimore. Mahomes last battled the Ravens in 2021, throwing for 343 yards with three touchdowns and one pick in a 36-35 loss. With a win on Sunday that punches a ticket to Super Bowl 58 in Las Vegas, the Chiefs will have a chance to become the first team since the Brady-led Patriots (2003-04) to hoist the Lombardi Trophy in back-to-back seasons.