Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Wednesday that he looks forward to facing Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby on Sunday, citing a mutual respect that sharpens both players when they line up against each other.
The AFC West rivals meet with each team at 3-0, the first time in the series history the clubs have entered a meeting undefeated through at least three games. Mahomes said the presence of Crosby on the opposite side of the line raises his own preparation.
“He’s one of the best competitors in the league,” Mahomes said. “That’s where the respect comes from, we have that mutual want to be the best on the field when we’re out there. You go against those guys, it brings out the best in you. There’s a ton of respect for how he plays the game of football, how he competes and the man he is. 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.”
Mahomes described Crosby as a friend. The two exchanged texts during the offseason while both recovered from knee injuries that ended their 2025 seasons early.
Crosby underwent a meniscus procedure after the Raiders placed him on injured reserve in late December. Mahomes tore an ACL in mid-December and missed the final weeks of the year.
Through three games in 2026, Mahomes has completed 68.4 percent of his passes for 812 yards, seven touchdowns and two interceptions. Crosby has 1.5 sacks, five tackles, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Mahomes holds a 13-2 regular-season record against the Raiders, with 4,427 yards, 36 touchdown passes and five interceptions in 15 games. He has been sacked 26 times in those contests.
Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, entered the week with 71 career sacks. He recorded 10 sacks in 15 games last season before the knee injury.
The two have produced several tense sequences. In a 2022 Monday night game in Las Vegas, Crosby sacked Mahomes twice as the Raiders built a 17-0 lead. Kansas City rallied for a 30-29 win. Footage from that game appeared in the Netflix series “Quarterback.”
Mahomes said the competition itself improves the product on the field.
“It’s what pure football is, when the best competitors compete against each other,” Mahomes said. “At the end of the day, you want the great competitors, the great players in this league because it makes the league better. And it makes it, when you go out there and do get the win, even better.”
Kansas City has won seven of the last eight meetings with Las Vegas. The Chiefs’ last loss in the series came on Christmas Day in 2023, a 20-14 defeat in which Mahomes threw for 235 yards and one touchdown.
Crosby signed a three-year, $106.5 million extension in March 2025 that briefly made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. Reports in March 2026 indicated a potential trade to Baltimore that did not materialize, keeping him in the division.
Both players have said the on-field intensity does not carry over once the final whistle sounds. Mahomes has previously called Crosby one of the toughest pass rushers he faces.
The Chiefs rank among the league leaders in points scored through three weeks. The Raiders have forced multiple turnovers in each of their victories and rank near the top of the league in pressure rate generated by the defensive line.
Sunday’s game is scheduled for Allegiant Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m. PDT.
Mahomes said the goal remains straightforward once the ball is snapped: match the effort Crosby brings and leave with the result.
