Fans tend to get real excited by the prospect of personal rivalries in sports. It just appeals to this romanticized idea of athletes being like jousting knights beneath fluttering banners. Like those knights, there’s usually a surprising degree of chivalry here. Nobody can understand what goes into becoming a successful player as another player, and nobody can appreciate it as much. So there’s usually a sense of mutual respect, earned over time. Not universally, of course, but this is the case with Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes.

The two have known each other for a surprisingly long time. You might already have known that they both played on Texas Tech’s football team, the Red Raiders. Sadly there was no overlap, as Mayfield transferred out after playing for them in 2013, with Mahomes joining in 2014. But there was a different kind of overlap. Baker Mayfield claims he hosted Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech when he came around for his official visit. He’s a bit vague on how they spent their time, but he passed it off as just “trying to make sure a guy has a good time,” before joking about taking him to the library and just being generally blissed out.

Of course, Mayfield may have jumped colleges to play for the Oklahoma Sooners, but there’s more to their pre-NFL history. They were famously on opposite sides of a record-breaking game in 2016. The game ended with a surprisingly narrow Sooners victory despite the number of touchdowns scored, at 66-59. By the end of it, both teams had covered a combined 1708 yards. Mayfield and Mahomes weren’t the only ones who’d go on to become big names in this field. Joe Mixon and Dede Westbrook were also on the field that day, monumental as it was. But it seems Mahomes and Mayfield didn’t let it get to them, and they’re on friendly terms now.

Sadly, not all football friendships can go this way. For Baker Mayfield, and his best friend Mark Andrews, football can be a boundary to friendship. Andrews plays as tight end for the Baltimore Ravens, and he takes the game very seriously. For the length of football season, he will not treat Mayfield as a friend, but as an opponent. That’s pretty harsh for someone whose wedding you’ve been to. But hey, whatever it takes to get into the right headspace for the game. Even if you end up being called a “weirdo.”

How are things looking for Mayfield and Mahomes ahead of the Bucs-Chiefs game?

This Monday’s going to bring an exciting match-up, as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. You already know the quarterbacks have a “rivalry” running, but what about the teams? Well, the Chiefs and Bucs have only faced off against each other 15 times, and it’s actually the Bucs leading, 8-7. Of their last 5 games against each other, the Chiefs have only won 2, though that’s going back to 2012.

Looking at this season’s figues might give you a better idea what to expect, though an obvious one. Patrick Mahomes‘ Chiefs are undefeated, that’s the elephant in the room. A 7 game win streak is insane, and they’ve only been getting better after a “shaky” start. Will the Bucs be the ones to put a stop to things? Well, they’re at 4-4, which isn’t terrible, but we ought to take a peek behind the curtain at those stats.

Their first two wins came against the Commanders and the Lions, who have performed very well all season. That might give you the impression they’re giant killers, but that would be ignoring their large number of defeats against competent sides. They’ve lost to the Falcons (twice), the Ravens, and the Broncos, all decent teams. When they go up against a weaker side like the Eagles or the Saints, they don’t seem to struggle, they won those games with ease. Hell, the 51 points they scored against the Saints is the highest total this season so far.

But the Chiefs aren’t the Saints. We’re sure Mayfield is going to take his opponents very seriously, but the odds are stacked in the Chiefs favor, literally. Every betting site tips in favor of the Kansas boys, though we don’t condone gambling. We’ll just have to see if the Bucs really do have what it takes to be giant killers.