Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes already established himself as an NFL legend. His five Super Bowl starts are the most registered by a quarterback before age 30, he has the second-most playoff wins (17) by a quarterback in NFL history behind Tom Brady and the most passing yards per game (288.9) in NFL history.
If you’re listing the top quarterbacks in the NFL right now, Mahomes’ name will come up quickly. However, what about the players that are in direct competition with the quarterbacks? The pass rushers that train year-round to make QBs’ lives hell? Who does Mahomes hate to see come flying off the edge? According to him, it’s the player that he believes has sacked him the most in his career: Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders.
“I have so much respect for all those guys in the league that are about their craft, they’re about being better and better,” Mahomes said on “Up & Adams”. “Like he said, we’re going to compete. We know when we step on that football field, we’re going against each other. It’s the Raiders, it’s the Chiefs — it’s two of the greatest in the league going at each other snap, every snap and continuing to do it twice a year.
“There’s so much healthy respect, but when we get on that football field, there’s going to be trash talk. It’s going to be going out there, he’s going to be trying to get to me, I’m going to be trying to make big plays happen. But those are the guys, I always say, obviously he’s on the other team so I want to go against him and beat him. That’s the guys you want on your team, the guys that are going to leave it all out there no matter what the score is, and be the best they can possibly be every snap.”
Crosby recorded six sacks against the rival Chiefs in his six NFL seasons. Since entering the league in 2019, the Eastern Michigan product ranks top five in sacks (59.5), tackles for loss (105) and QB hits (144). Just four players since 2000 have registered 50 sacks and 100 tackles for loss through six seasons, and Crosby is one of them.
While Crosby is just as talented as the other big-name pass rushers in the NFL, he has shown the ability to get under Mahomes’ skin maybe more than any other player. He becomes a total nuisance when facing Mahomes. Crosby is going to touch the quarterback after he’s gotten rid of the ball, he’s going to hold you on the ground maybe a bit longer than he should. Basically, he’s going to let you know he’s there.
“That’s just my style of football,” Crosby told CBS Sports last year. “I would say the biggest influence on my football career has been Rod Marinelli. He’s an old-school guy. I grew up being obsessed with the old school style of football. That’s what I try to do every Sunday is show people — people talk about how football is soft now. Like no, I’m out there trying to take souls. That’s really what I’m doing. And it’s not just quarterbacks. Of course I’m going to be after the quarterback the whole game and I’m trying to bother him and get him off his game, but it’s also the O-linemen and the running backs. I don’t spare anybody. If I feel like I can get under somebody’s skin or I can take advantage or make him a little bit more hesitant when he gets the ball in his hand, I’m going to do that. And that’s not only through putting him on his ass, but also getting in his mind a little bit and just make him second-guess whether he wants to run my way or not.
“That’s the game inside the game, and I love what I do. I don’t shy away. When I’m out on the football field, that’s the most alive and most free and most real feeling that I possibly can have. It’s like real gladiator shit. And I fully embrace that every time I’m out there.”
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Author: Jordan Dajani
July 8, 2025 | 11:15 am
