(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) Quarterback Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers greets quarterback Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs at midfield after the Packers defeated the Chiefs 31-24 at Arrowhead Stadium on October 27, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes could have serious competition as the best slinger in the AFC West this season, and that’s something he happily welcomes.
Speaking with Bleacher Report’s Kayla Nicole over the long weekend in Hawaii, Mahomes said it’d be “awesome” to have Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers play in the same division as him.
“If he came to the AFC West, it would just make it a little tougher for us but we’re up for the challenge.” – @PatrickMahomes on Aaron Rodgers joining his division
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“Obviously, it’d be awesome,” Mahomes said. “To have that challenge … two times a year, every single year. It would be a great, great opportunity. I mean, he’s a heck of a football player. He’s been doing it for a long time that I’ve watched play and learned a lot from. But definitely if he came to the AFC West, it would make it a little tougher for us, but we’re up to the challenge.”
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Some healthy competition in the AFC West would be nice, considering the Chiefs have won a franchise record five straight titles since dethroning the Denver Broncos in 2016. With a new and improved offensive line, there’s a heavy chance Any Reid’s men could be well on their way to a division best sixth straight champions.
Rodgers Briefly Explained the Packers Drama to ESPN Last Month
The offseason rumors surrounding Rodgers’ tenure with the Packers remains an enigma. While Green Bay’s front office insist the reigning league MVP will be back for the 2021 campaign, the veteran is singing a different tune.
“It’s just kind of about a philosophy and maybe forgetting that it is about the people that make the thing go. It’s about character, it’s about culture, it’s about doing things the right way,” Rodgers told former ESPN host Kenny Mayne last month.
The 37-year-old continued: “The people make an organization. The people make a business and sometimes that gets forgotten. Culture is built brick by brick, the foundation of it by the people. Not by the organization, not by the building, not by the corporation. It’s built by people. And I’ve been fortunate enough to play with a number of amazing, amazing people and got to work for some amazing people as well. And it’s those people that built the foundation of those entities, and I think we sometimes forget that.”
Mahomes and Rodgers Have Yet To Face Off
Playing twice a year would be great for both football fans and their respective franchises, and it would absolutely create a lot of buzz in the days leading up to the showdown. Mahomes and Rodgers have yet to face off against each other since Mahomes entered the NFL in 2017.
Rodgers and Mahomes are scheduled to duel in Week 9 this season, that’s if the former is still calling shots for the Packers. On the Chiefs side, coach Reid is still preparing as if the mid-season showdown is still a go. A smart decision on his part.
“We’ve got some good quarterback matchups, that being one of them,” Reid said ahead of the 2021 schedule release to NFL Network on May 13. “Rodgers is gonna go down as one of the all-time best ever. And I know those two have a relationship, they do those commercials together. So, there’ll be that nice competition between those two and obviously, they’ve got a bunch of good players. So, we’ll have to be ready for that one.”
READ MORE: Patrick Mahomes Sets Historic Goal for Chiefs’ 2021 Season