Tale of The Tape: Comparing Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy's 2023-2024 Seasons

February 6, 2024

Did Patrick Mahomes or Brock Purdy have the better season? Which quarterback has performed better in the playoffs? Joey Pollizze compares both Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy's 2023-2024 seasons.

We are less than one week away from Super Bowl LVIII kicking off between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. Both teams have surely had their fair share of struggles this year. The 49ers suffered a three-game losing streak midway through the season, and the Chiefs only averaged 21.8 points per game on offense. 

But both teams got the job done when it mattered most, led by solid quarterback play from Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy. Mahomes led the Chiefs to an 11-6 record with a less-than-ideal supporting cast of weapons. As for Purdy, he led the 49ers to a 12-5 record with one of the best supporting casts in the entire NFL. 

So, did Mahomes or Purdy have a better 2023-2024 season? Who has had the better postseason? Let's dive in and find out. 

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Patrick Mahomes 2023-2024 Season

Mahomes did not have his best year in his sixth full season as the Chiefs starting quarterback. As a matter of fact, the 2023-2024 season might have been the 28-year-old's worst campaign of his career. He threw for just 4,183 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. His 4,183 pass yards and 27 touchdowns were the second fewest of his career, while the 14 interceptions were a career-high. 

A lot of blame for Mahomes' down season was due to his lack of weapons. Outside of tight end Travis Kelce, the two-time MVP had a bunch of inexperienced wide receivers to throw to, including Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, and Kadarius Toney. Even veterans like Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Mecole Hardman Jr., and Justin Watson didn't provide much in the passing game this year. 

On top of that, his former offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy left before the 2023 season. So, that could have added another element to Mahomes' inefficient season. He threw an interception in 11 of 16 games this year, which is unlike the Chiefs quarterback. 

"It's going to take our best football."

Great answer here from Patrick Mahomes about how the Chiefs' struggles this season prepared them for this moment. He also touched on the learning experience of trying to go back-to-back a few years ago. pic.twitter.com/OpAld79QaO

— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) February 2, 2024

However, things have turned around for Mahomes and this Kansas City offense in the playoffs. His postseason numbers aren't anything out of the ordinary, but he's been efficient in all three games against the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, and Baltimore Ravens. In those three contests, he has thrown for a combined 718 yards and four touchdowns with zero interceptions. 

Mahomes continues to show why he is the greatest quarterback in the NFL right now after leading the Chiefs to another Super Bowl appearance. The regular season might not have been the best for his standards. However, he has once again shown up in the playoffs, which has surely overlooked his regular season numbers. 

Brock Purdy 2023-2024 Season

There will always be people who doubt Purdy. Even after a strong season where the 24-year-old has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl, several doubters continue to point to San Francisco's offensive scheme as the reason for that. But the young signal-caller still did his job and did it pretty well, too. 

Purdy finished the regular season with 4,280 yards, 31 pass touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. His 4,280 pass yards were the fifth most in 2023, while his 31 pass touchdowns ranked third in the NFL -- only behind Dak Prescott (36) and Jordan Love (32). The 49ers quarterback also finished second in completion percentage (69.4%) and first in QBR (72.7) behind an impressive 9.6 yards per attempt. 

It's hard to see why Purdy gets as much hate as he does. When he's playing at the top of his game, the 49ers have a great chance to win. He had nine games this year with multiple touchdown passes, and in six of those contests, he threw for over 250 yards. San Francisco was 9-0 in such games.

Kyle Shanahan on the criticism Brock Purdy receives from the media:

“This is what I love about Brock. Last pick in the draft. Takes us to the conference championship game twice and this Super Bowl in two years. Getting talked about for MVP. And the dude, he doesn’t have to work… pic.twitter.com/R6pDqpyicg

— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) February 5, 2024

Of course, he struggled in some games this year from Week 6 to Week 8 and in Week 16. In those contests, he threw nine interceptions to just three touchdowns. Like every quarterback, there will be struggles along the way against some prolific defenses. But Purdy showed way more elite stuff in his first full NFL season than most quarterbacks did in 2023. 

There have been some hiccups in Purdy's postseason play. However, he has shown up when it matters the most. Despite not playing a flawless game in the Divisional Round against the Green Bay Packers, he led the team down the field in the final minute to lead the game-winning drive. Then, in the NFC Championship against the Detroit Lions, he helped the 49ers cut a 17-point deficit in the third quarter. 

In the two playoff games this year, Purdy has thrown for a combined 519 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. There's no doubt the 24-year-old has struggled in big games this year. But he also put together one of the strongest quarterback seasons in 2023-2024. 

The Verdict 

When evaluating both quarterbacks and their 2023-2024 seasons, both have had their ups and downs. Mahomes has been far more efficient in the postseason, but Purdy has better regular season numbers and led his team to a better record and seed in the playoffs this year. 

As a result, Purdy has had a better overall season. His weapons and scheme under Kyle Shanahan have helped him take that next step in his game. 

There's also a reason why Purdy is an MVP finalist, and Mahomes didn't make the cut this year. The former had the better numbers and led the NFL in several quarterback categories this season. Although he likely won't win the MVP award, he can confidently say he put together a better 2023-2024 season than Mahomes. 

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