Where does Mahomes-Brady rank among greatest Super Bowl QB matchups?

The Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Kansas City Chiefs will feature arguably the NFL's two biggest icons, Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes.

While this isn't the first matchup between all-time great signal-callers in the Super Bowl, Sunday's clash could be one for the ages.

Where does the Brady vs. Mahomes matchup rank among the greatest quarterback battles in Super Bowl history? Here's our top 10 based on each QB's career accomplishments at the date of the season finale.

10. Aaron Rodgers vs. Ben Roethlisberger, Super Bowl XLV

Packers def. Steelers 31-25

Early in his career, Rodgers needed a Super Bowl ring to prove he'd be able to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Packers legend Brett Favre. But to do that, he had to beat Roethlisberger.

Although Big Ben didn't have a great regular season in 2010 - tossing 17 touchdowns to five interceptions after being suspended for the first four games - he already had two Super Bowl titles on his resume. Meanwhile, Rodgers was still a year short of the best statistical campaign of his career but averaged 4,200 yards and 29 touchdowns with a passer rating of 99.4 through his first three campaigns as the Packers' starter (2008-10).

9. Tom Brady vs. Matt Ryan, Super Bowl LI

Patriots def. Falcons 34-28

Looking for his fifth ring, Brady threw 28 touchdowns against two interceptions during the regular season after being suspended for the first four games of the 2016 campaign. The Patriots had the league's top-ranked defense and finished the season with the NFL's best record at 14-2.

On the other side, the Falcons possessed an explosive offense that scored over 33 points per game. That unit was led by Ryan, who took home the regular-season MVP after throwing for 4,944 yards and 38 touchdowns with a passer rating of 117.1. At the time, he was just the second MVP quarterback to face Brady in the Super Bowl.

8. Eli Manning vs. Tom Brady, Super Bowl XLVI

Giants def. Patriots 21-17

Manning isn't on the same tier as most of the quarterbacks on this list but the second Super Bowl matchup between Manning's Giants and Brady's Patriots was something special.

It was Brady's revenge attempt after Manning spoiled his perfect 2007 campaign in Super Bowl XLII. This time, though, he faced a version of Manning that was clearly improved. In the four seasons that separated the two Super Bowls, Brady put up excellent campaigns, collecting the Comeback Player of the Year award in 2009 and his second career MVP honor in 2010.

During the 2011 regular season leading to Super Bowl XLVI, Brady and Manning set career highs in passing yards - with 5,335 and 4,933, respectively - while combining for 68 touchdowns. In the playoffs, both had a passer rating north of 100.

7. Troy Aikman vs. Jim Kelly, Super Bowl XXVIII

Cowboys def. Bills 30-13

Aikman and Kelly remain the only duo of starting quarterbacks to face off in back-to-back Super Bowls. Granted, neither posted monster numbers during the 1993 regular season - 33 touchdowns combined - but the matchup between two future Hall of Famers was significant.

In Super Bowl XXVIII, Kelly led the Bills to their fourth straight title game appearance, all of which were losses, including a 52-17 defeat to the Aikman-led Cowboys in the previous year. The Bills' signal-caller already had five Pro Bowl appearances and three All-Pro nods to his name.

Meanwhile, Aikman was a five-year veteran at the time who entered the season finale as the reigning Super Bowl MVP and with three consecutive Pro Bowl selections.

6. Terry Bradshaw vs. Roger Staubach, Super Bowl XIII

Steelers def. Cowboys 35-31

In the 1970s, the quarterback position wasn't as significant as it is today, especially for a team with an excellent defense like the Steelers. But Bradshaw - who had already won two titles before Super Bowl XIII - recorded his best year in Pittsburgh in 1978, earning the MVP award after tossing a league-leading 28 touchdowns.

One of Bradshaw's titles came against the Staubach-led Cowboys, three years before they met again in the season finale. Staubach was also a two-time Super Bowl winner by 1978 and had been selected to the Pro Bowl on five occasions.

Granted, both Bradshaw and Staubach were surrounded by great supporting casts at the time, which was a crucial factor to their career accolades. Still, Super Bowl XIII featured the two powerhouses of that decade with Hall of Fame signal-callers still playing at a competitive level.

5. John Elway vs. Brett Favre, Super Bowl XXXII

Broncos def. Packers 31-24

Favre was the NFL's hottest quarterback in 1997. The signal-caller won his third straight MVP award that year and was making his second consecutive Super Bowl appearance after leading Green Bay to the title in the 1996 season.

Meanwhile, though Elway never reached Favre's level of production, he had already earned eight Pro Bowl berths and led Denver to a fourth Super Bowl appearance.

It was a matchup between a 37-year-old veteran desperately looking for his first title to cement a Hall of Fame career against football's top superstar.

4. Joe Montana vs. John Elway, Super Bowl XXIV

49ers def. Broncos 55-10

Super Bowl XXIV didn't quite match expectations, but the narrative surrounding Montana and Elway heading into the game was captivating.

Montana already had three Super Bowl titles entering the 1989 season and was named regular-season MVP that year after leading the league in pass completions, yards per game, and passer rating. It was his fourth Super Bowl with the 49ers, which to many people, was already enough to call him the GOAT back then.

Meanwhile, Elway was a three-time Pro Bowler looking for his first ring after consecutive Super Bowl losses in 1986 and 1987.

3. Drew Brees vs. Peyton Manning, Super Bowl XLIV

Saints def. Colts 31-17

Manning and Brees already had great careers by 2009, with the latter likely being one Super Bowl title away from joining Manning as a Hall of Fame lock. During that season, Brees led the NFL in touchdown passes (34) and completion percentage (70.6), while Manning won his second straight MVP award after throwing for 33 TDs.

The Manning-led Colts and Brees' Saints also torched their opponents during the regular season. They didn't lose their first game until December and placed first in their respective conferences, marking the first time in 16 years that both No. 1 seeds reached the Super Bowl.

2. Joe Montana vs. Dan Marino, Super Bowl XIX

49ers def. Dolphins 38-16

Super Bowl XIX featured the quarterback matchup that many believed would highlight the big game for years.

Montana had already won the 1981 Super Bowl - of which he was named MVP - and entered his second title game after recording the best statistical campaign of his career at the time. He had also made the Pro Bowl on three occasions.

Marino shocked the football world in 1984, posting arguably the greatest regular season ever by a quarterback statistically in his second pro year. The signal-caller broke multiple single-season records, including passing yards (5,084) and touchdowns (48).

Unfortunately, Montana and Marino never met in a Super Bowl again. However, having the two best quarterbacks at the time playing in different conferences - and meeting on football's biggest stage - gave that matchup a unique narrative.

1. Patrick Mahomes vs. Tom Brady, Super Bowl LV

Brady vs. Mahomes is the greatest quarterback matchup in Super Bowl history. No other NFL quarterback has accomplished more than Brady, and we haven't seen anything like the beginning of Mahomes' career.

The undisputed GOAT will play against the only known player with a chance to usurp his throne. It will be like having Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James in the NBA Finals.

The careers of Brady and Mahomes are unprecedented. Brady owns six Super Bowl titles, three regular-season MVP awards, and 14 Pro Bowl selections, while Mahomes has already been named MVP and Super Bowl MVP in just three seasons as a starter. The young signal-caller is 26-1 in his last 27 starts, including the playoffs.

Both quarterbacks are also coming off impressive campaigns in 2020. At the age of 43, Brady threw for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns while helping the Buccaneers reach Super Bowl LV in his first year with the team. Additionally, Mahomes topped the league averaging 316 passing yards per game while tossing 38 touchdowns.

Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians wasn't wrong when he said Mahomes could match Brady's career success. A win on Sunday to clinch back-to-back titles would add major significance to Mahomes' resume. On the other hand, Brady might be able to prove that even Mahomes won't catch him as the GOAT if he collects his seventh ring.

Honorable mention: Bart Starr vs. Len Dawson (Super Bowl I), Ken Stabler vs. Fran Tarkenton (Super Bowl XI), Joe Montana vs. Boomer Esiason (Super Bowl XXIII).