Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has earned high praise from Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The rivalry between the Bengals and Chiefs has intensified in recent years, and Chase has been vocal about it in interviews and media Q&As. In a notable exchange, Chase responded with “Pat who?” when asked why he believed Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow was the best player in the NFL, despite Burrow himself acknowledging that it was Mahomes. This sparked controversy among Chiefs teammates and fans.
On December 28, during a pregame chat with Cincinnati media, Chase seemed to intentionally reignite the rivalry. However, Mahomes still holds respect for Chase. During Super Bowl media night before the Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers, Mahomes was asked to create an “all-time fantasy team” that excluded current Kansas City players. According to The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov, Mahomes included Chase as one of the three wide receivers on his team.
Mahomes had the opportunity to choose any player, such as Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice, but he selected Chase, along with Miami Dolphins star Tyreek Hill and Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss. This recognition is a significant honor for Chase. Mahomes also named other notable players for his team, including running back Earl Campbell, tight end Rob Gronkowski, safeties Brian Dawkins and Ed Reed, cornerbacks Deion Sanders and Darrelle Revis, defensive ends Reggie White and Von Miller, defensive tackles Vince Wilfork and Aaron Donald, and linebackers Ray Lewis and Zach Thomas. No quarterback was mentioned, although Mahomes often refers to Tom Brady as the “greatest of all time.”
In a recent exchange between Bengals media and Chase before Week 17 of the 2023 season, when asked about what stands out about the Kansas City secondary, Chase simply replied, “If I’m being honest, nothing.”
Chiefs Know How to Play Us, Says Ja’Marr Chase
In a recent interview, Ja’Marr Chase, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, expressed his frustration with the Kansas City Chiefs’ ability to anticipate their plays. “They just know how to play us,” Chase stated. He went on to explain that the Chiefs are familiar with their strategies, including their leverages and preferred splits. According to Chase, the Chiefs use double-doubles to effectively neutralize their two best players. However, he made it clear that the Chiefs don’t have a player of Jalen Ramsey’s caliber on their team.
Chase didn’t hold back in his comments, stating that he hopes the Chiefs defenders take his words to heart. “They can take it how they want it,” he said. He believes that his remarks will add fuel to the fire and motivate the Chiefs. Despite the potential backlash, Chase remains mentally prepared to face the Chiefs on the field.
When asked about his opinion of the Chiefs, Chase admitted that he enjoys playing against them because they talk a lot of trash. He emphasized that football is a competitive sport, and people will interpret it however they want. When questioned about any real animosity between the two teams, Chase chose to respond with a simple “no comment.”
Although the Chiefs had the last laugh by winning the 2023 Super Bowl and eliminating the Bengals in the AFC Championship, Chase and the Bengals have had their fair share of victories against Kansas City. With Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes as the quarterbacks, the Bengals have a 3-1 record against the Chiefs. However, it’s important to note that this record doesn’t include the Chiefs’ victory over Jake Browning’s version of the offense on New Year’s Eve.
Michael Obermuller covers the Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants, Miami Dolphins, and Cincinnati Bengals for a sports publication.
