The Raiders reignited their bitter divisional rivalry with the Chiefs by delivering a low blow, resorting to cheap personal insults against star QB Patrick Mahomes by comparing him and addressing him as Kermit the Frog. While the insult has been around for some time, they added a new twist by bringing a puppet into the equation.
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However, Mahomes has chosen to take the high road for now, focusing on his game instead of retaliation. In an interview with reporter Steve Walls, the two-time MVP acknowledged that he had already seen the video. But nothing was to be done right now.
He recognized that such things happen but felt it wasn’t the right time to respond. With a long season ahead, Mahomes is concentrating on preparing for another Super Bowl-winning season and will address the insults later.
“It’s still early in the year. Stuff like that happens. It’ll get handled when it gets handled.”
#Chiefs Patrick Mahomes said no one needs to send him anything in regards to the #Raiders Kermit the frog puppet video.. he sees everything: “It’s still early in the year.. It’ll get handled when it gets handled.”
— PJ Green (@ByPJGreen) July 26, 2024
The Las Vegas players created a video featuring a Kermit the Frog puppet dressed in a Mahomes jersey and a wig resembling Patrick’s hair, perpetuating the ongoing joke that the three-time Super Bowl champion sounds like the famous frog.
In the video, safety Trey Taylor is seen with the puppet in his hand, saying, “I’m a b**ch,” while his teammates erupt with laughter. The video has not been well-received in the NFL community, with a fan even calling it “tasteless”.
It’s worth noting that Mahomes and the Chiefs boast a 10-2 record against their bitter divisional rivals and have secured nine straight division titles. In the last 25 years, Mahomes has had as many Super Bowl appearances as the Raiders have playoff wins. However, the Raiders did win one game last season, and the Texas Tech alum didn’t have his best performance in said game.
The Vegas players have been trying to get under the Mahomes’ skin since last year, with even head coach Antonio Pierce joining in. Trash-talking and insults are part and parcel of sports, keeping fans engaged and rivalries alive. However, every sportsperson should know where the line is. We’ll just have to wait and see what lies in store for the Raiders.
