MVS has joined the legion of current players making blanket statements during GOAT conversations, while totally ignoring the fact that they might have missed the 50 years of football that preceded their NFL existence.
The Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver spoke to the media during Super Bowl week and the 29-year-old, in his second season in Kansas City, claims that the two quarterbacks he’s been fortunate enough to play with, Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes, are the two GOATs at the position.
“I’ve played with the two best quarterbacks to ever play this game, especially when it comes to arm talent,” Valdes-Scantling told reporters. Obviously, Brady has all the statistics, but I think Pat’s getting pretty close to breaking some of those,”
On March 24, 2022, Kansas City Chiefs WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
This season was a disaster in terms of regular season production for MVS and entering the final year of his deal, he could be looking at the front door soon. What better way to endear yourself to two quarterbacks who will be looking for receiving help next season, than to label them GOATs?
Why Are Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes Better Than Tom Brady?
We can debate GOAT quarterbacks all day and most of it will be opinion, but it’s a universally accepted fact that you can’t have such a conversation without including one Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr.
MVS, who made a legacy-defining catch while falling on his back in the AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens, made sure to add Brady’s name into the mix and show respect for his statistical résumé.
Pure arm talent is where MVS gives Rodgers and Mahomes the edge.
“But when it comes to arm talent, between Aaron and Pat, they’re equal, so having those two guys being my quarterbacks for my career has been nothing but life-changing. I’m grateful for both those guys, I’ve got great friendships with both those guys. I hope I can finish my career with Pat.”
MVP Campaigning For Future Gig?
He was one of the wide receivers who came under siege for underachieving as Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City struggled to score points early in the season.
MVS didn’t support his opinion with any accurate statistical data or anything specific that can support his case that Rodgers and Mahomes are the best to ever do it.
Arm talent is relative. That’s having a strong arm, being accurate and being able to make all the throws and put receivers in a position to make a play.
There have been quarterbacks with arms just as strong or stronger than both Rodgers and Mahomes, who are among the savviest signal-callers to ever play in addition to their passing ability.
Dan Marino, John Elway, Mike Vick, Warren Moon All Had Arm Talent
Not to turn this into a water cooler brawl, but Dan Marino, John Elway and Michael Vick had cannons. Both Marino and Elway could make any throw.
Mahomes and Rogers are both up there, but Brady made the big throws when it mattered. There wasn’t a throw he couldn’t make either and he did it with precision into his mid 40s. Brady put in 23 seasons of consistent work. We probably should put him in the Martian category along with icons like Hank Aaron and LeBron James, ageless wonders who played for decades at an elite level.
MVS opened up a can of worms that’s sure to irritate some football purists. Super Bowl victories matter and playoff performance is something that separates the GOATS from the guys with the glossy stats. Rodgers’ lack of playoff success and failure to win multiple titles eliminates him from GOAT contention in the eyes of many football fans — and clearly in the playoffs against the best defenses, his “arm talent” failed him a few times.
Mahomes Isn’t Tom Brady Yet
Mahomes is just entering that conversation as a sixth-year starter. Can he stay as viable as an elite quarterback for as long as Tom Terrific did?
Mahomes has 28,424 regular season passing yards. Brady has 89,214 career passing yards. If you include his playoff games, that number inflates to 102,614.
Mahomes has a way to go still, even at his scorching statistical pace.
So it’s not as cut-and-dried as MVS tried to make it sound. Instead of politicking for brownie points from two legends he was fortunate enough to be on the field with, the 29-year-old must realize his career is at a crossroads. Six years in and never had 700 yards receiving in a season. The anemic output he produced this season has definitely hurt his market value, and after six seasons in the league and flashes of brilliance and then brain lapses, we don’t even know who he really is.
We do know he’s not leaving his employment for next season in the hands of his Super Bowl fate. So, showing love to two quarterbacks who will be looking for more receivers next season is all in the playbook.
