Super Bowl LVIII is quite clearly a showdown between two of the NFL's best teams, not only because they're the last two standing, but because they've been among the game's elite contenders for years. The Kansas City Chiefs are looking for their third Lombardi Trophy in just five seasons, and the San Francisco 49ers are fresh off their fourth NFC title-game appearance in the same span.
Not a single position will draw more attention on either side of this all-star showcase, however, than quarterback. For many, in fact, unfair as it may be, Super Bowl LVIII isn't just Chiefs versus 49ers. It's Patrick Mahomes versus Brock Purdy.
How did the signal-callers get to this point? Who has the advantage going into their Super Bowl matchup? Here's a full breakdown:
(Super Bowl LVIII will be broadcast on CBS and Nickelodeon and you can stream it on Paramount+; here's how to watch)
The basics
How are the QBs built? How did their careers begin? And how do they play the game? Let's take a look:
| QB | Team | Age | Season | Size | College | Acquired |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 49ers | 24 | 2nd | 6-1, 220 | Iowa State | 2022 draft (7.262) |
Patrick Mahomes | Chiefs | 28 | 7th | 6-2, 225 | Texas Tech | 2017 draft (1.10) |
Purdy and Mahomes couldn't have entered the NFL more differently. The former was literally the last pick of his draft, now famously coined "Mr. Irrelevant," widely perceived as a smart, tough player with physical limitations. Mahomes, on the other hand, was considered unpolished but athletically gifted -- so much so that the Chiefs traded up to select him 10th overall, even though Kansas City had made the playoffs in four of its previous five seasons with veteran Alex Smith under center.
Since their differing arrivals, the two QBs have enjoyed a few similarities. Both began their careers on the bench, then found instant success when pressed into action -- Purdy as an emergency injury replacement, Mahomes as a second-year successor to Smith. And both have an uncanny ability to shuffle around the pocket, effortlessly buying more time for their playmakers to get open.
Mahomes, of course, has done this better than anyone, and for an extended period of time. Ever since throwing an NFL-leading 50 touchdowns in his first year as a starter, he often appears as if he's playing another sport entirely, pairing unpredictable arm angles with a knack for clutch and creative decision-making. His unique brand of reliable off-script heroism has put him on a Hall of Fame trajectory before the age of 30, making him the unmatched face of an aspiring dynasty. Perhaps most impressive is the fact he's won in so many different ways -- first as a bombs-away deep-ball artist, now as a grind-it-out point guard.
To his own credit, Purdy is also one of the most recognized names at his position, thanks in large part to the improbable poise he brought in replacement of not one but two injured fellow QBs in San Francisco. His off-the-bench bravado, which helped the 49ers to the NFC title game in 2022, carried over into 2023, his first year as a full-timer. While he lacks the prototypical height for the position and obviously benefits from an all-star supporting cast under coach Kyle Shanahan, he's also proven adept at both taking what's given and eyeing big-play chances downfield, resembling Mahomes' quick-thinking style.
The numbers
Let's start with their 2023 regular-season production:
| QB | Games | Yards | Comp. % | TDs | INTs | YPA | Rating | Rush Yards | Rush TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | 16 | 4,280 | 69.4 | 31 | 11 | 9.6 | 113.0 | 144 | 2 |
Patrick Mahomes | 16 | 4,183 | 67.2 | 27 | 14 | 7.0 | 92.6 | 389 | 0 |
This disparity may be jarring, suggesting Purdy as the definitive winner in terms of 2023 efficiency, but it speaks to the level of difference between the Chiefs and 49ers during the regular season. Whereas Purdy and Co. essentially picked up right where they left off before the QB's NFC title-game injury last January, Mahomes endured the most uneven stretch of his starting career, sometimes veering into lackadaisical throws amid mental miscues and ill-timed drops by a young, rotating wide receiver corps.
For Purdy, the regular season was at least evidence that his rookie campaign wasn't a total fluke. For Mahomes, however, all eyes were always going to be on the playoffs, and whether his "true" form would resurface once the real games began. As you might've guessed, considering he and the Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in five years, that proved true.
Here is their 2023 playoff production (note: "GWD" denotes game-winning drives):
| QB | Games | Yards | Comp. % | TDs | INTs | YPA | Rating | GWDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 2 | 519 | 61.4 | 2 | 1 | 7.4 | 87.7 | 1 |
Patrick Mahomes | 3 | 718 | 68.0 | 4 | 0 | 7.0 | 100.7 | 1 |
And so it is: Mahomes never went anywhere; he was simply working out the kinks, or biding his time, until the playoffs, where he once again has produced MVP-caliber marks. The Chiefs still aren't attacking deep as much as they once did, but Mahomes' ball security and late-game precision have been catalysts for K.C.'s return to the big stage. Purdy, meanwhile, has produced something of a bittersweet playoff run this year; while his numbers have been more scattershot than in the regular season, matching a particularly erratic divisional-round performance, he's also been more clutch, coming alive late in back-to-back comebacks.
Now let's expand our view to each QB's career numbers:
| QB | Games | Record | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating | Rush Yards | Rush TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 25 | 20-5 | 5,654 | 44 | 15 | 111.4 | 157 | 3 |
Patrick Mahomes | 96 | 74-22 | 28,424 | 219 | 63 | 103.5 | 1,936 | 12 |
This is obviously the biggest statistical gap when it comes to the QBs: experience. Purdy is still fresh on the scene, so both his biggest fans and critics are left to debate whether his tremendous early-career marks are either indicative of what's to come, or precursors to inevitable regression. One thing's for sure: Purdy's surprising debut wasn't a one-off; he was MVP-caliber for much of this year, and he's finished strong in both of his 2023 playoff starts. Skeptics will point to Jimmy Garoppolo also guiding the 49ers to the playoffs as proof that anyone playing QB for Shanahan can thrive, but Garoppolo was never this efficient, dynamic or durable.
Mahomes, meanwhile, has historically prolific passing marks -- numbers that most QBs will only dream of racking up. In just six years as a starter, he already ranks No. 39 among career passing-TD leaders of all time. His career passer rating is the second best in NFL history, behind only future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. In other words, there's no questioning his legendary run.
The playoff resumes
How have the QBs fared in the postseason during their career? Have a look:
| QB | Games | Record | Total TDs | Turnovers | Rating | AFC/NFC Titles | Super Bowl Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Brock Purdy | 5 | 4-1 | 6 | 2 | 98.2 | 1 | 0 |
Patrick Mahomes | 17 | 14-3 | 44 | 8 | 106.3 | 4 | 2 |
Pitting Mahomes against anyone in this exercise is unfair. It speaks to the all-world status of both his Chiefs setup -- which has touted elite weapons like Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, plus All-Pro defenders like Chris Jones and a future Hall of Fame coach in Andy Reid -- and his natural feel for the bright lights. Simply put, Mahomes and the Chiefs are the modern equivalent of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who forged a multigenerational dynasty, never to be counted out when it mattered most.
As for Purdy, well, the sample size is still limited. But he's won every playoff start he's finished (he was quickly knocked out of the 2022 NFC Championship against the Eagles). There's been some cause for concern this postseason, with the youngster struggling in rainy conditions against the Green Bay Packers, but against both Green Bay and the Detroit Lions, who at one point held a 17-point lead on the 49ers, he's also turned in strong finishes. The Chiefs "D" should be his toughest task to date.
Facts to know
- Boy Wonder: At 24, Purdy will be the third-youngest QB in NFL history to start a Super Bowl, behind only Dan Marino (23) and Ben Roethlisberger (23). He's also the third-lowest-drafted QB to reach the big game, behind only undrafted Super Bowl starters Jake Delhomme and Kurt Warner, the latter of whom went on to appear in three different Super Bowls.
- Bay Area Bonanza: Purdy is the first 49ers QB to lead the NFL in yards per pass attempt (9.6) since Steve Young in 1997. The latter is now in the Hall of Fame, helping San Francisco win the Super Bowl in 1994.
- Mr. Postseason: Mahomes already has the third-most playoff victories (14) of any QB in NFL history. That total is also the largest by any QB in a six-year span. He's also seeking to become just the third player to ever win three different Super Bowl MVPs, after Tom Brady (5) and Joe Montana (3).
- A Gold Jacket Awaits: Since 1950, only one QB -- three-time MVP Otto Graham -- has amassed a better win percentage, including playoffs, than Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs star is 88-25 (.779) in his career, and he's still just 28 years old.
The edge
Again, any conversation that involves Mahomes and the playoffs feels a bit like a predetermined ordeal. It speaks to the legacy the Chiefs signal-caller has built, shepherding what will rightly be crowned a dynasty if Kansas City can beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl for the second time this half-decade. Much like the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts in last year's title contest, Purdy appears to have both the physical and mental fortitude to go blow for blow with Mahomes under the NFL's brightest lights. He's certainly got the offensive supporting cast to warrant belief in a Super Bowl LVIII victory.
In the end, though, it's truly hard to quantify the championship DNA that resides in both Mahomes and the Chiefs. They've been there, done that, at a highly improbable rate in a league built on annual parity. So expect a good game. Prepare for an upset. But don't ever doubt No. 15, for the only time he ever reached a Super Bowl and didn't win it, the opposing QB just happened to be his legendary counterpart, Tom Brady.
