With Super Bowl Sunday just days away, legendary quarterback-turned-analyst Troy Aikman has weighed in on the highly anticipated showdown between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles.
After closely following both teams throughout the season as part of ESPN’s Monday Night Football broadcast crew, Aikman has made his pick – and he’s rolling with the defending champs.
Appearing on Pardon The Interruption, the Hall of Famer didn’t hesitate when asked who he believes will emerge victorious on Sunday night.
“I’m like the rest of America. How do you bet against Patrick Mahomes?” Aikman said. “There are a lot of quarterbacks in the game that play every possession as if it’s the same, and Patrick Mahomes, like Tom Brady, and like other great quarterbacks before them, they know how to win.”
Aikman’s confidence in Mahomes is well-founded.
At just 29 years old, Mahomes is set to play in his fifth Super Bowl – a feat that most quarterbacks never come close to achieving in their careers.
Already a three-time champion, Mahomes is chasing history as he attempts to lead the Chiefs to an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl victory.
Winning back-to-back Super Bowls is rare enough in the NFL, but no team has ever claimed three straight titles in the Super Bowl era.
A win on Sunday would put Mahomes more than halfway to Tom Brady’s record of seven rings, further solidifying his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time.
Brady, of course, knows a thing or two about Super Bowl dominance.
He won six Lombardi’s with the New England Patriots before capturing his seventh in Tampa Bay – defeating Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl 55.
Now retired from playing, Brady will be in the booth for FOX alongside Kevin Burkhardt, calling the game as Mahomes tries to inch closer to his record.
While the Eagles will be looking for redemption after last year’s heartbreaking Super Bowl loss to Kansas City, Aikman – and much of the football world – believes Mahomes and the Chiefs are simply too difficult to bet against.
As we stand now, the Chiefs are a slight 1.5-point favorite. There are many who think the line will be even come kickoff.
Considering Aikman’s past criticism of Mahomes, are you surprised he’s picking the Chiefs to win?
More importantly, what is YOUR prediction for the game? … Will Mahomes and company actually pull off the historic three-peat???
