Chiefs' Gabbert: Mahomes, Brady both 'maniacal perfectionists'

Veteran quarterback Blaine Gabbert spent three seasons backing up Tom Brady for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and after a few weeks in the same role behind Patrick Mahomes, he already sees similarities between the two.

"They're maniacal perfectionists," the Kansas City Chiefs backup said, according to Arrowhead Pride's Aaron Ladd. "And I mean that in the most endearing way possible. They are of the two best, in my opinion, to ever play the game.

"You see the similarities, how they operate, meeting room, practice field. They're completely different players, as we all know, but the way they approach the game, on and off the football field, is the exact same."

Brady - widely considered the greatest quarterback of all time - retired in February after 23 seasons and seven Super Bowl titles with both the Buccaneers and the New England Patriots.

Since entering the NFL, Mahomes is in a league of his own: He's led the Chiefs to two championships and five consecutive AFC title-game appearances. He's also won two regular-season MVP awards.

"(Mahomes is) a master of the system," Gabbert said. "He's still approaching it like it's Day 1, still taking notes the same way as he did as a rookie.

"There's always something that he wants to work on, always something to improve on, and always something to get better at."

Brady and Mahomes went head to head in Super Bowl LV, with the former leading Tampa Bay to a victory in his first season with the team.