The 2026 NFL Combine is scheduled from February 23 to March 2, 2026. While this event is a key event for draft prospects, history proves that elite combine numbers don’t always predict NFL success.
No example illustrates this better than Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, as both quarterbacks have left a lasting mark on the league, but their combine performances tell very different stories.
Tom Brady vs Patrick Mahomes NFL Combine: 40-Yard Dash Times
At the 2000 NFL Combine, Brady ran the 40-yard dash in 5.28 seconds, a time that has become infamous as one of the slowest ever recorded by a quarterback at the combine. Brady’s movements were awkward and slow, and athletically, he didn’t stand out as a top prospect. In February 2024, he completed a recorded 40-yard dash in 5.12 seconds and finally surpassed his old combine mark.
However, Mahomes posted a 4.80-second 40-yard dash at the 2017 NFL Combine, tying for the sixth-fastest quarterback time that year. A video of his dash went viral when the NFL Network showed quarterback Desmond Ridder easily outpacing him.
Despite Mahomes’ 2024 requests to stop using the footage, the network has continued to humorously overlay it with clips from each year’s combine.
Brady vs Mahomes NFL Combine: Vertical Jump
The vertical jump measures lower-body explosiveness, where Brady recorded a 24.5-inch vertical. It was underwhelming by combine standards, which reinforced the perception that TB12 lacked elite physical traits.
Meanwhile, Mahomes recorded a 30-inch vertical. It proved his natural explosiveness and overall athletic profile, placing him in the 33rd percentile among quarterbacks in his draft class.
Brady vs Mahomes NFL Combine: Other Physical Measurements
In the broad jump, Brady reached 8 feet 3 inches, while Mahomes hit 9 feet 6 inches. Brady posted 7.20 seconds in the three-cone drill, while Mahomes completed it in 6.88 seconds. Overall, the Chiefs QB had the athletic edge on paper with faster drills, slightly better jumps, and more agility than Brady.
However, the New England Patriots still drafted Brady in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft and quickly helped him develop into one of the greatest players in league history. He went on to etch his name in history books and set several records, including seven Super Bowl wins, five Super Bowl MVPs, and three NFL MVP awards.
In a social media post in 2017, Brady reflected on his combine experience:
“I found my combine shirt from 17 years ago and it got me thinking. This is what they said about me then: Poor build, Skinny, Lacks great physical stature and strength, Lacks mobility and ability to avoid the rush, Lacks a really strong arm, Can’t drive the ball downfield, Does not throw a really tight spiral, System-type player who can get exposed if forced to ad lib, Gets knocked down easily. As [Julian Edelman] always reminds me … ‘You can prove em right or you can prove em wrong!’ Good luck to all of you this weekend!!”
Meanwhile, Mahomes entered the 2017 NFL Draft with a better athletic profile, as the Kansas City Chiefs selected him with the 10th overall pick. The decision paid off, as he went on to win three Super Bowl titles with the Chiefs.
