National Football League

Do the Chiefs have 49ers' number, and can they keep winning this way? Tom Brady weighs in

Published Oct. 20, 2024 10:22 p.m. ET

Tom Brady knows a thing or two about feeling like a team has his number — especially one that has Steve Spagnuolo as its defensive coordinator.

Spagnuolo was the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants team that famously ended the bid for an undefeated season by Brady's New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. He now runs the Kansas City Chiefs defense, which helped hand a similarly gut-wrenching loss to the San Francisco 49ers in last year's Super Bowl. Spagnuolo's defense led the way again in a rematch against the 49ers on Sunday with Brady on the call for FOX Sports, as the Chiefs landed three interceptions off of quarterback Brock Purdy and a banged-up 49ers offense.

Tom Brady speaks on Chiefs' dominant 6-0 season after they defeat 49ers in Week 7

Also on that Giants team back in the day? Michael Strahan, who's now one of Brady's new teammates at FOX Sports. And Strahan couldn't help but needle his friend Brady after the game.

"I don't know if you know the feeling of when a team has your number, but do you think [the Chiefs] just have [the 49ers'] number?"

After Brady jokingly faked walking out of his booth hit with Strahan and the rest of the "FOX NFL Sunday" crew, he did provide some insight into what the 49ers must be feeling after their 28-18 loss to Kansas City. But not before clarifying one thing.

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"The Giants don't have my number. Michael Strahan has my number," Brady laughed. "That's a different problem for me. But it is frustrating when you feel like you — the Niners probably put a lot of energy into this week going, ‘Man, we got to get over the hump. We got to figure out a way. We can't turn the ball over' — three turnovers. ‘We got to stop Mahomes from scrambling' — he's scrambling. So it's tough when you come in with a game plan, and then you just don't execute the game plan.

"[It has] to be very frustrating for Kyle Shanahan, and in the Super Bowl last year, the margin of error was so slim. A few third downs that the Niners didn't convert late in the game, got some pressure. This game wasn't that close … the Niners could never really gain control. They got close, [but] of course, the Chiefs found a way. A lot of creative play-calling by Coach [Andy] Reid, that guy just always finds a way. I see him on the sideline, nothing fazes him. What a leader for an organization."

The Chiefs have now won three in a row against the 49ers and have defeated them in each of the San Francisco's last two Super Bowl appearances. Of course, another big reason for those victories is Patrick Mahomes. The star quarterback still was able to rally his team in the fourth quarter despite one of the worst statistical passing performances of his career. Mahomes had a career-best 33-yard scramble to set up another run on fourth-and-goal, resulting in a crucial lead-widening touchdown for the Chiefs.

"What I love about his game is he's just finding ways to win," Brady said. "The scramble there, which was really impressive, faking the shuttle pass and then getting outside the pocket. I just think he's doing whatever he needs to help this team win. And he knows he's got a defense that's going to limit points, limit yards, and when you have that, it's just a different mentality. [In the] fourth quarter … He just takes what they give him. If it's not there, he throws it away, plays field position, gets some contributions in special teams. Just an all-around great team effort for a great team win."

That approach now has the Chiefs at 6-0 on the season and the two-time defending Super Bowl champions as the lone remaining unbeaten team. Can Kansas City still have another Super Bowl-winning offense with those limitations? Brady thinks so.

"I said during the game — efficient, not explosive," Brady said. "They tried a few downfield throws, didn't hit them. But what do they do? They hand it off. They run those inside zone runs. They push the pocket [for] three- or four- or five-yard gains. By the end of the day, they got huge time of possession, really wearing out the other team's defensive line. And then they got some of those little bootlegs to flip the ball out there in the flat and gain a lot of extra yards, so [they're still] tough to defend."

The Chiefs will head to Las Vegas to play the AFC West rival Raiders next week, while the 49ers will host a storied rival of their own, the Dallas Cowboys, at Levi's Stadium.

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