Patrick Mahomes revealed the message Raiders star Maxx Crosby sent him after the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback was cleared to return from his serious knee injury.
The Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders have one of the NFL's fiercest rivalries.
But Patrick Mahomes revealed Wednesday that his relationship with Raiders star Maxx Crosby extends well beyond what happens between the lines.
Mahomes discussed a private text exchange between the two AFC West rivals as both worked their way back from serious knee injuries.
Crosby reached out as Mahomes progressed in his recovery, essentially telling the Chiefs quarterback that they were both back.
Mahomes' response was simple.
"Let's show the world who we are."
Both have done a pretty good job through three weeks.
Mahomes and Crosby were both ready for Week 1 after spending the offseason recovering from knee injuries. Now their teams will meet Sunday with both sitting at 3-0.
It will be the first time in the long history of the Chiefs-Raiders rivalry that both teams have entered their matchup with 3-0 records.
Mahomes and Crosby have developed one of the NFL's most recognizable individual rivalries over the years.
Their battles have included plenty of heated moments, including a memorable confrontation during a 2022 Monday night game that was later featured in Netflix's "Quarterback."
But Mahomes made it clear Wednesday that significant respect underlies the hostility.
He described Crosby as one of the league's best competitors and said facing him forces him to bring his best.
That challenge extends beyond Crosby.
The Raiders enter Sunday with an aggressive defense that has produced turnovers at a high rate during its unbeaten start. Kansas City also has concerns protecting Mahomes with its problems at left tackle.
Josh Simmons missed Wednesday's practice as he continues dealing with a bulging disc in his lower back. Andy Reid said Wednesday that Simmons is making progress but offered no firm timetable for his return.
Mahomes isn't questioning the legitimacy of Las Vegas' unbeaten start.
He told reporters Wednesday that the Raiders are playing good football and that their 3-0 record is "real."
Sunday, they'll find out which undefeated AFC West team stays that way.
And after encouraging each other during difficult injury recoveries, Mahomes and Crosby will go back to trying to make each other's lives miserable.
