SPORT IS LITTERED with moments which signal the changing of the guard.
The final minutes of the 2011 All-Ireland final can be credited with altering Gaelic football’s course for the next decade.
In 2001, reigning Wimbledon champion and top seed Pete Sampras was stunned by an unknown 20-year-old by the name of Roger Federer in the fourth round.
And as the eyes of the world focus on Phoenix, Arizona for Super Bowl LVII, a new era for the NFL is here.
One week after Tom Brady announced the end of his record-breaking career — “for good” this time — the crown prince of the NFL, Patrick Mahomes, bids to launch himself to the next level with a second Super Bowl ring.
Brady bowed out with seven titles; a tally greater than that of any single franchise. Having helped the New England Patriots to their joint-record six, the Californian slinger took his services to Tampa Bay in 2020. The Super Bowl LV victory two years ago –- against Mahomes and the Chiefs — underlined his status as the ‘GOAT’, proving his brilliance independent of long-time partner Bill Belichick.
But this latest showpiece is not about Brady, and life has moved on since his video message from a Florida beach last week. There are more pressing matters at hand.
American football is primed for the next generation. The post-Brady world is occupied by a host of young, exciting quarterbacks. Trevor Lawrence, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and more ensure that the NFL is in a strong position for years to come.
But right now one quarterback stands clear of the rest. Mahomes, 27, may not yet boast the titles that other gridiron greats have garnered. But on-field genius has set him apart.
The Chiefs QB makes plays that nobody else could fathom. He sees opportunities from seemingly nothing. His feats have left opposition and viewers alike scratching their heads, wondering what the hell just happened.
After last year’s AFC Championship Final defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals, the Chiefs found themselves having to offload star wide-receiver Tyreek Hill. The NFL’s cap-space laws dictate no one team can stockpile too many great talents.
Without one of the deadliest weapons in the game at which to aim, many pondered if Mahomes may struggle this term.
The doubters were proven wrong long before his coronation as the league’s MVP on Thursday night. 5,250 yards and some 41 touchdowns across the season saw to that.
When Mahomes stayed down after a tackle in the first quarter of the Divisional Round play-off tie with the Jacksonville Jaguars three weeks ago, hearts around Arrowhead Stadium skipped a beat. What transpired to be a high ankle sprain failed to remove him from the game, but nonetheless significantly hampered him. His running looked laboured, and two games later, head coach Andy Reid has said the playmaker is still not 100% fit.
Despite that, Mahomes had enough strings to his bow to compensate, and managed to produce enough impactful throws while hobbling to steer the Chiefs through. The latest AFC Championship title lends credence to the notion that a half-fit Mahomes is just as good as most quarterbacks at their best.
Standing in his way on Sunday are the Philadelphia Eagles and their quarterback Jalen Hurts.
In contrast to Mahomes whose rise has been meteoric, Hurts is a player who has always had to do things the hard way.
He was widely written off after getting benched in the 2018 National Championship game during his college career with Alabama Crimson Tide, in favour of Tua Tagovailoa.
Hurts found himself forced to transfer to the University of Oklahoma Sooners in pursuit of a starting berth upon which he could rebuild his prospects.
By the time the 2020 NFL Draft rolled around, he was down the pecking order. Three quarterbacks (Burrow, Tagovailoa and Justin Herbert) were taken in the first six picks. Hurts was the fifth QB selected, with Philadelphia taking a punt on him with the 53rd overall pick.
And so the graft continued. The Eagles did not exactly stake their future on Hurts making it in the big-time, but he nonetheless seized the opportunity.
The Eagles managed to sneak into the playoffs last season, but were no match for the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. However, the franchise had seen enough from their man under centre to back him. During the off-season, they acquired star receiver AJ Brown to team up with their other wide-out, DeVonta Smith. With a strong run game and league-best defence at his disposal, Hurts has proven himself to be a capable conductor of this Eagles orchestra.
He brings a dynamic threat, both on the ground and in the air.
Although never heralded as one of the elite, the 24-year-old Texas native has worked his way to the top. And victory on Sunday night would cap a true underdog story.
It is not only styles that make fights, but stories too. As the NFL gets to grips with the post-Brady world, the sport is ready for a new king.
One suspects Mahomes is exactly that, and he could well finish with a career to rival that of Brady – even if that does not include the longevity or number of titles. But victory in the desert would launch a world of possibilities for the years ahead.
As for Hurts, becoming the first of his draft class to get his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy would be emblematic of a career in which he refused to lie down.