Patrick Mahomes in The Hobby: Can He Reach GOAT Status?

Over the past half of a decade, the NFL has seen a transition at the quarterback position, away from the supremacy of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Drew Brees, into something of a three-pronged rivalry between Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson - with Joe Burrow also wanting a word. And, while the torch has been passed to this group, an incredibly talented wave of young quarterbacks, headlined by Jayden Daniels, are doing battle for the title of Who's Next? But, when it comes to winning and The Hobby, Mahomes is in a class all his own. While his contemporaries are trying to chase him down, Mahomes' competition, in a way, is the Ghost of Tom Brady.

Feb 7, 2021; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady (left) greets Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes following Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

How High Can Josh Allen Cards Go as the Bills QB Prepares for the Game of his Life?

Just how much has Mahomes separated himself from his peers since he launched himself into the national spotlight with a 5,000 yard, 50 TD season in his first season as a full-time starter? While an imperfect measurement, Cardladder's market cap calculation can give a sense, a proxy of The Hobby's interest in a given player. As of writing, Mahomes' market cap is listed at $91.53 million (sandwiched between Wayne Gretzky and Stephen Curry, for context). Put up next to his current-day rivals, a pretty huge gap emerges. Josh Allen is next on the list of active QB's with a market cap of $19.78 million. Joe Burrow comes in at $16.91 million, Lamar Jackson $7.89million.

As of writing, Mahomes' Current Index Value on Cardladder comes in at 44,407, Josh Allen - 10,607. In the run up to tomorrow's AFC championship, Mahomes' 24-hour volume is at $9,594, Allen, $3,607 While Mahomes does have more cards than the rest of the group, even adjusting for that discrepancy, Mahomes is on a different level. As he looks for his fourth ring, we look to the GOAT, Tom Brady, seven-time champion as a barometer. His market cap is at $166.81 million, his Index Value 60,988 obviously with a huge lead in total cards (553 to Mahomes' 292).

Patrick Mahomes 2017 Panini National Treasures Patch Auto RC /99 | Cardladder

Brady's influence in The Hobby will almost certainly endure, as his legacy is unquestioned and he remains one of America's most recognizable people. But, could Mahomes continue to close the gap? As his career unfolds, and more and more people anoint him the greatest ever to play, how far can he go in The Hobby?

As Mahomes prepares to square off with rival Josh Allen in Sunday's AFC title game, let's take a minute and compare some of their cards as they relate to today's market. Drawing on Panini's National Treasures' cards cited here, we can get a tiny sample of the state of the premium card rivalry between the two superstars. Allen's 2018 Panini National Treasures Patch Auto RC /99 has eight sales since December 1, going as high as $120,000 on December 26 for a PSA 10. The last Mahomes PSA 10 sale of his 2017 Panini National Treasures Patch Auto RC /99 is listed is back in October 2023, and came in at just under $205,000.

Josh Allen 2018 Panini National Treasures Patch Auto RC/99 | Cardladder

Topps Chrome Football To Feature Historic Tom Brady On-Card Autograph

Of course, much of that potential will only be met if he keeps racking up the rings, and winning in the NFL, despite how Brady and Mahomes make it look, is incredibly difficult. Josh Allen could perhaps close the gap with a win on Sunday. The rivalry between Mahomes and his rivals, and Mahomes and Brady both take their next step on Sunday.