Tom Brady Makes Clear Choice Between Chiefs, 49ers for No. 1 After Three Games

Tom Brady revealed his power rankings after Week 3, and he had the 49ers and Chiefs in the top two.

by Angelo Guinhawa

Oct 2, 2026

NFL Legend and Fox Sports broadcaster Tom Brady

Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Both the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers have surprised a lot of fans by starting the season strong with a 3-0 record each. For Tom Brady, however, one team has an edge over the other.

In his latest NFL Power Rankings for Fox Sports, the legendary quarterback ranked the 49ers as the No. 1 team in the league and put Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs at No. 2. His decision comes after Brock Purdy and company picked up a string of convincing victories against the Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals to remain undefeated.

“They were pretty much unheralded all offseason because everyone was talking about Seattle and the Rams,” Brady stated. “But it’s the 49ers at No. 1. Why? They’re undefeated. We know that. But they have the best point differential in the league.”

It’s worth noting that the 49ers have an average winning margin of 16 points per game this season after beating the Rams by 20 points, the Dolphins by 22 points and the Cardinals by six points.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) looks on during an NFL game.

At the center of San Francisco’s impressive start is Purdy, who has tallied 789 passing yards and nine touchdowns so far. Brady noted that the quarterback has effectively led the 49ers’ offense and consistently placed his team in favorable situations to succeed.

“Brock Purdy’s playing as well as anybody; anybody. He should be considered in the Tier 1 QB discussions,” Brady added. “At least he is in my eyes. It sure looks like Purdy is an elite quarterback now. He’s playing within the system, throwing the ball accurately, no negative plays, getting his team in and out of the right plays — I love the way he’s managing every single game.”

The 49ers will face off against the Denver Broncos in Week 4. Meanwhile, the Chiefs will try to extend their winning streak against the Las Vegas Raiders, another team with a 3-0 start this season.

It will be interesting to see if the 49ers can keep their hold on the No. 1 spot in Brady’s power rankings and whether the Chiefs can challenge them for the position.