Patrick Mahomes' 'it' factor puts him above Tom Brady, says former Super Bowl quarterback

Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback to ever set foot on an NFL field.

That's the view of former NFL quarterback Jake Delhomme, who had first-hand experience of facing the man widely considered to be the greatest to ever play the position, Tom Brady.

But despite that knowledge, Delhomme said that Mahomes may already have eclipsed Brady as the best passer of all time.

Delhomme faced Tom Brady at Super Bowl XXXVIII and produced a big performance, completing 16 of 33 for 323 yards, three passing touchdowns, and no interceptions for a passer rating of 113.6.

But, despite his huge contribution, Delhomme still found himself on the losing end of the result as his Carolina Panthers were pipped by a last-minute Adam Vinatieri field goal as Brady's Patriots ran out 32-29 winners in Houston.

"I think Tom Brady was awesome, don't get me wrong. He was great. But Mahomes is a different level," Delhomme told Covers.com.

"Tom, that team was awesome. They never made mistakes. He played great.

"But Patrick, the one Super Bowl he lost, he lost because they didn't have an offensive line.

"He's just a special player, and it's that competitive spirit and drive and talent that he has.

"That's what makes that team so great, along with Andy Reid and what they do offensively, and the things that they can do formation-wise, and things like that, it gives people fits."

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Delhomme said that the thing that separates Mahomes from the rest is an almost intangible "it factor" that allows him to influence games in a way other quarterbacks can't.

"I have such respect for him, just the way he plays," Delhomme explained.

"It's never about him. He's very unselfish. He takes all accountability. All accountability.

"Watching him play against Buffalo in the (AFC) championship game, you just know he's going to make a play, whether running or throwing. It just doesn't matter.

"He's just got something about him. He has that 'it' factor.

"You hear people say 'I'm just tired of them winning.'

"I'm not. Because we're watching greatness. I think he's a unicorn. I truly believe that."

Delhomme also broke down the matchup at Super Bowl 59 this coming weekend, as Mahomes' Chiefs take on the Philadelphia Eagles, and while he has all the respect for Mahomes and his Chiefs side, he knows they're up against a powerhouse opponent in Philadelphia, and the in-form Saquon Barkley.

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"Listen, it's hard to ever pick against Mahomes, right?" he said.

"But with this Philadelphia football team, they looked a little banged-up on the offensive line, but you have two weeks to prepare.

"They can give the Chiefs fits with their run game. It's a different run game from when they played a couple of years ago.

"Saquon Barkley, he's just different. This guy is just on a different level."

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Ultimately, Delhomme said, Philadelphia's chances of success will hinge on their ability to play mistake-free moment when it matters most.,

"The Chiefs haven't won a game this year at all where they've destroyed somebody. Everything's close," he explained.

"I'd never go against Mahomes, but right now, in the back of my mind, it's like, 'How are they gonna stop Saquon Barkley?'

'Now, (the Eagles) can't turn the ball over, they have to play sound football.

"Just stay ahead of the mistakes, so (Steve) Spagnuolo can't come up with exotic pressures and things that he's great at in crucial times."

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