From 2004 to 2019, the AFC playoffs were largely dominated by quarterbacks Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Ben Roethlisberger, who represented the conference in the Super Bowl a combined 15 times. However, since 2020, Patrick Mahomes has emerged as the dominant quarterback in the AFC, with the Kansas City Chiefs making five Super Bowl appearances in six years. Despite the emergence of talented young quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Tua Tagovailoa, and Jalen Hurts, none have been able to defeat Mahomes in the playoffs.
Mahomes has emerged as the ultimate challenge for any AFC quarterback looking to win a Super Bowl, similar to LeBron James in the NBA Finals. Allen, in particular, has faced Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs three times since 2020, with the Bills falling short each time.
If Allen and the Bills can defeat Mahomes and the Chiefs on Sunday, it would mark the first time a post-Mahomes quarterback wins a Super Bowl. However, if Mahomes wins, he will continue to set a high bar for his competition. The only other quarterbacks to win Super Bowls since Mahomes became a starter are Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford, who were drafted before 2010.
Ultimately, the matchup between Mahomes and Allen on Sunday will represent a showdown between the current generation of quarterbacks in the AFC, with the outcome potentially shaping the future of the league.
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