Patrick Mahomes turned 27 just two weeks ago, so 45 is still nearly two decades away.
But he sees Tom Brady succeeding at that age and said this week that he would like to try playing at 45 as well.
Mahomes has a 2-3 record against Brady, including a 1-2 record when Brady was with the New England Patriots.
Brady has two of the biggest wins in his career, a 37-31 victory with the Patriots in the 2018 AFC Championship Game and a 31-9 rout of the Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.
In Kansas City, Mahomes is off to another fast start. He's completing 67.9% of his passes for 857 yards, eight touchdowns, and one interception.
Brady leads Mahomes 3-2 in head-to-head meetings, with the Buccaneers' Super Bowl victory in 2020 serving as the tiebreaker.
Mahomes' contract expires in nine years, when he will be 36. Mahomes will still be slinging the ball in 2040, 18 years from now, if he aims for Brady's numbers and plays until he is 45.
Mahomes praised Brady's consistency in the league and expressed excitement about facing the GOAT this week.
On "Sunday Night Football," the Kansas City Chiefs will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.