Maxx Crosby and Patrick Mahomes have one of the more interesting relationships in the NFL. Both are crucial players on their respective teams; their matchups have been some of the most entertaining ones.
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After their latest clash in Week 4, Crosby threw light on an eye-catching piece of information about the star Chiefs QB.
Crosby and his podcast co-host Brogan Roback were discussing the former’s relationship with Mahomes. Roback asked the defensive end what noise Mahomes would make whenever he is tackled.
Crosby paused for a few moments before impersonating a grunt. Roback suggested the weird noise be boxed into a whine, and not a moan.
“Don’t say moan, just don’t say that word,” Roback said.
“There’s no other word,” Crosby replied.
Crosby has sacked Mahomes 6.5 times in their meetups so far. He managed to record a half-sack on Mahomes in their Week 4 clash, and he might have heard Mahomes make the noise. Even though the Chiefs got the better of the Raiders, Crosby never fails to land a jab at the quarterback when he gets the opportunity.
Entering the game, Crosby had some strong words for Mahomes.
“He [Mahomes] knows what it is,” Crosby said on his podcast. “It’s war. There are no other words needed. You know what I mean? That’s as simple as that.”
Patrick Mahomes has dominated the Raiders. Mahomes is now 14-2 against the Raiders and has never been defeated in Allegiant Stadium. He’s been a headache for Las Vegas for quite some time now.
Patrick Mahomes had a solid game against the Raiders, completing 15 of 30 passes for 225 yards and two touchdowns without throwing an interception. He averaged 7.5 yards per pass and finished with a 97.2 passer rating and 63.6 QBR, while being sacked twice for a total loss of 15 yards.
There have been some tense moments between the two during games as well. There was a time when Crosby headbutted Mahomes. And in another instance, the quarterback turned up the heat by repeatedly telling Crosby, “I’m here all day,” after he threw a touchdown pass to Travis Kelce.
“When I’m out there, he’s talking s— right back at me,” Crosby told Von Miller on the latter’s podcast in 2023. “… Most quarterbacks aren’t like that.”
Off the field, however, there is a deep mutual respect between the two.
“I think when you have two division rivals that are willing to go to the farthest extent to go win, I think it just made for, you know, great great entertainment and great competition. So it was a great battle,” Crosby said.
“It’s the most respect off the field compared to anybody,” Crosby said of the Chiefs on Bussin’ With The Boys. “I’ll tell you like Andy Reid will f**king randomly shoot me a call in the offseason. ‘Man, I’m praying for your family. Hope everything’s well.’ Those guys that really are that dude. They’re that guy, and then they’re still barking after the game.”
It’s clear that once the final whistle is blown, both Mahomes and Crosby are able to recognize each other’s wins and appreciate their hard work. The DE’s comment on the quarterback’s vocals was nothing but a jab to try and embarrass him.
Maxx Crosby reached out to Patrick Mahomes during injury rehab
For all the tension that Crosby and Mahomes tease ahead of the Raiders-Chiefs games, the two have looked out for each other during their tough times. Mahomes revealed that Crosby, who had torn his meniscus in the 2025 season, checked in on him while he was rehabbing his injury.
“He actually texted me right when I got cleared to play and was kind of just kind of said like, hey, we’re both back,” Mahomes said to the media ahead of the game against the Raiders. “And for me, I was just kind of like, let’s show the world who we are.”
They were both on the same boat. Mahomes underwent surgery for his injury in December 2025, while Crosby went under the knife in January, requiring surgery for his torn meniscus. Both their returns were a big topic of discussion entering Week 1.
Four weeks into the season, both are doing pretty well for themselves. On one hand, Patrick Mahomes looks like his elite self already. And on the other, the Raiders are taking a measured approach with Crosby, who is playing fewer snaps. But Crosby is still delivering.
“There’s a ton of respect for how he plays the game of football, how he competes, and the man he is,” Mahomes said after the game. “When I step on that football field, I’m going to need my best because he’s going to bring his best, and that’s when you get the best games out there.”
The Raiders will meet the Chiefs next in the Arrowhead for their final matchup of the regular season. Will they be able to turn the tables around this time?