Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes comments on rivalry vs. the Bills: ‘You have to combat’

The rivalry between the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills has many exciting chapters that have made each matchup highly anticipated, regardless of the stakes. Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are the headline attractions of the rivalry, but there are deeper layers to the teams leading into Sunday’s AFC Championship game.

“I think when you look at the great rivalries of the NFL, it comes with this. It comes with playing each other every year in the regular season; it comes with playing in the playoffs,” said Mahomes during his press conference on Wednesday. “You have to combat; you have to look at your weaknesses and try to make those strengths and then your strengths, make them even better because you know that they’re going to go out there and try to take away those things. It’s a great football team, like I said, great players, well-coached, and we know it’s going to take our best in order to find a way to get a win.”

With a win on Sunday, Kansas City can become the fourth team to reach three consecutive Super Bowls, joining the 1990-93 Buffalo Bills (four successive), 1971-73 Miami Dolphins (three), and 2016-18 New England Patriots (three).

“I think you just have to know you’re going to have to play your best football. I mean, I’ve played against (Bills QB) Josh (Allen) enough times to know that he’s going to come out there and play great football, especially in those big moments,” said Mahomes. “For me, I have to play my best football whenever I get the opportunity to and try to put our team in the best position to succeed. If that’s limiting turnovers, if that’s changing the field position – whatever that is, you have to find a way that day to win. When you go up against a great quarterback, it takes your best as well.”

Mahomes has 47 career postseason touchdowns and 16 career postseason wins, including an eight-game winning streak going into the 2024 AFC Championship. With a win, he would become the third starting quarterback in NFL history to reach the Super Bowl five times, joining Tom Brady (10 Super Bowl appearances) and Pro Football Hall of Famer John Elway (five).