Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes pacing ahead of Tom Brady, Joe Montana at age 29

As Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes prepares to face the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, there’s a lot on the line for both sides.

The game marks the fourth time in five seasons that the Chiefs and Bills will face off in the postseason. Not once have the Bills beaten KC in that (postseason) span. The Chiefs, with a win, would then attempt to win their third straight Super Bowl.

Team accomplishments aside — there’s plenty at stake for Mahomes as well.

If his career trajectory stays on its current path, the 29-year-old would put his name in the GOAT (greatest of all time) conversation. The first three-peat in Super Bowl history and a potential fourth championship ring would certainly help his case.

While the debate around the NFL’s greatest ever — at quarterback or otherwise — is subjective, many agree it’s former New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB Tom Brady. Brady praised Mahomes in August, saying Mahomes would have been even better if he came up at the same time as Brady.

“I think he would be better. He’s already great,” Brady said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “Believe me, he’s, in my opinion, the best quarterback in the NFL. Why? I could talk about his physical (traits). ... When I look at him and I see why he’s great, I see the way that he’s endeared himself to his teammates. I see the joy they have when they’re out there playing together.

“So I love when I see his rapport with his teammates, with his coaches, how he communicates after the game. I’m listening to the press conferences as much as I’m watching him throw a tight spiral, because that’s ultimately what that position is about.”

Here’s a look at some postseason accolades (up to age 29) for Mahomes, Brady and Joe Montana, the former 49ers (and Chiefs) superstar who is another popular name in the GOAT conversation.

The big numbers — Super Bowls and MVPs — go to Mahomes, but let’s take a closer look at the stats over those games.

By the raw numbers, Mahomes has much better postseason stats compared to both Brady and Montana up to the age of 29. Still, it’s important to remember a few things.

Brady’s postseason numbers and accolades increased in the following years, and he ended his career with seven Super Bowl wins and five Super Bowl MVPs.

If Mahomes can earn another Super Bowl ring and Super Bowl MVP this season, it’ll go a long way toward him eventually earning “GOAT” status, but there’s still plenty of games to be played — and many years to go.

Regardless, he first needs to beat the Bills. The Chiefs will host Buffalo on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.