Seven.
It’s the number of how many deadly sins there are, the numeral on Colin Kaepernick’s jersey, days in a week, and how many whole days Toni Braxton once went without hearing from her lover.
Seven is also how many Super Bowl rings Tom Brady has now, which is one more than the Patriots and Steelers have as entire franchises. Seven is also two fewer than the nine points the Chiefs scored on Sunday night, as Todd Bowles’ defense led Tampa Bay to a 31-9 victory.
If you’re a Kansas City fan or hate the Patriots and Tom Brady, then Sunday night was a tough one for you. The guy that people love to hate and who used to play for that team that everyone despises, won another Super Bowl with the help of his old teammates from Foxboro, as 21 of the Bucs’ 31 points were scored by former Patriots.
Brady finished 21-for-29 for 201 yards and 3 touchdowns, as he won his record fifth Super Bowl MVP.
Rob Gronkowski, who came out of retirement to join Brady in Tampa, caught 6 balls for 67 yards and scored two touchdowns, as Brady and Gronk set the record for most postseason touchdowns between a quarterback and receiver at 14.
Antonio Brown, the alleged domestic abuser, hauled in 5 passes for 22 yards and a touchdown.
But besides Sunday night being gut-wrenching for Bill Belichick, it was also a reminder of how fans love to anoint athletes like Mahomes too quickly as the next G.O.A.T. while the current G.O.A.T. is proving he still has a lot left in the tank. After ending last season by throwing a pick-six in his final game as a Patriot, Brady watched last year’s Super Bowl from the stands. He was pissed.
While everyone was excited by what Patrick Mahomes did in last year’s Super Bowl, it was as if they forgot that it was also the first Super Bowl Brady wasn’t playing in, in four years. You have to remember, Brady has been here before. There was Russell Wilson, and Matt Ryan, and Jared Goff, and now Mahomes. Facing, and beating, the young and “up-and-coming” next great quarterback is what he does best. But people have selective amnesia.
Over the next few days, you will rightfully hear a ton about Brady and the outstanding scheme that Todd Bowles put together in shutting down the Chiefs’ high-powered offense. But what most people will try to skip over is just how horrific Mahomes was on Sunday night. When you sign a contract worth half a billion dollars, you deserve to catch hell after going 26-for-49 for 270 yards with 2 interceptions and 3 sacks.
Mahomes and the Chiefs were trying to make history as being the first repeat champion since the 2004 and 2005 Patriots. You should already know who the last quarterback was to pull off that feat.
“Yeah, we’re coming back,” declared Brady on the podium after the game.
I believe him, and you should, too. Because even if you hate Tom Brady and his former Patriots teammates, by now you should have learned your lesson. Being a non-believer in White Jesus has never worked out for anyone.