The NFL Rivalry Industrial Complex
Patrick Mahomes isn’t just a quarterback anymore; he’s the centerpiece of an entire rivalry ecosystem.

The NFL loves drama.

It sells tickets, drives ratings, and keeps sports talk shows alive when nothing else is happening.

And if you’ve noticed lately, every time Patrick Mahomes sneezes, it somehow becomes bulletin-board material for another quarterback.

Josh Allen throws a touchdown? It’s a “message to Mahomes.”
Joe Burrow wears sunglasses? It’s “shade at Mahomes.”
Justin Herbert ties his shoes? ESPN wonders, “Is he trying to upstage Mahomes?”

What we’re seeing is the creation of a bizarre soap opera where every quarterback in the league is either Patrick’s rival, Patrick’s shadow, or Patrick’s future therapist.

The rivalries aren’t just about games anymore.

They’re about personalities, tweets, TikToks, handshakes, postgame press conferences, and occasionally, Brittany Mahomes’ Instagram Stories.

Mahomes vs.

Josh Allen: The Annual Netflix Drama
If Mahomes and Josh Allen didn’t exist, the NFL would have to invent them.

These two have turned Chiefs-Bills games into yearly blockbusters, complete with plot twists, heartbreak, and at least one slow-motion highlight replayed for eternity.

Allen is cast as the “gritty underdog hero,” while Mahomes is the “superstar villain who wins anyway.

” Every time they meet, announcers lose their minds.

“This is the new Brady vs.

Manning!” they cry, as if repeating it enough will make it true.

And when Allen finally beats Mahomes in a regular season game? Suddenly it’s treated like Allen just won the Nobel Peace Prize.

Buffalo fans act like they’ve toppled a dictator.

Then, inevitably, Mahomes crushes their dreams in the playoffs, and the cycle starts over.

It’s less of a rivalry and more of a seasonal TV show: The Josh & Patrick Saga, renewed every January.

Mahomes vs.Joe Burrow: The Sunglasses War
Then there’s Joe Burrow, aka “Joe Cool.

” If Allen is the gritty rival, Burrow is the stylish nemesis.

Burrow shows up in flashy outfits, icy chains, and designer glasses, and suddenly the narrative becomes: “Can Joe Cool outshine Mahomes’ greatness?”

Fans remember when the Bengals dubbed Arrowhead Stadium “Burrowhead” after beating Kansas City.

That one word sparked months of headlines.

The Chiefs responded by beating Cincinnati, and Travis Kelce screamed into a mic: “Burrowhead my ass!” It was like watching WWE promos disguised as football.

Now, every time Mahomes and Burrow cross paths, reporters act like they’re watching Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed.

Forget touchdowns—the real story is whether Burrow’s outfit is more talked about than Mahomes’ no-look pass.

Mahomes vs.Lamar Jackson: Speed vs.Sorcery
Lamar Jackson represents another flavor of drama.

Every time the Ravens meet the Chiefs, it’s billed as “The Duel of Magicians.

” Lamar with his legs, Mahomes with his arm.

Analysts call it “poetry in motion,” while fans argue about which quarterback has the better superpower.

The media frames it like a Marvel movie: Spider-Man vs.

Doctor Strange.

Lamar spins out of tackles, Mahomes throws sideways bombs, and commentators gasp as if they didn’t know these guys were capable of it.

Of course, the rivalry gets juicier when one wins.

If Mahomes dominates, it’s “Lamar can’t beat the big one.

” If Lamar wins, it’s “Has Lamar surpassed Mahomes?” Either way, the NFL ensures that both fanbases will scream at each other online for weeks.

The Manufactured Herbert Rivalry
Justin Herbert has somehow been drafted into this rivalry circus despite the Chargers never winning anything meaningful.

Every year, analysts proclaim: “Herbert vs.

Mahomes could be the next great rivalry!”

Then the Chiefs beat the Chargers, as usual, and everyone shrugs.

But because Herbert throws pretty spirals, the NFL insists on keeping this “rivalry” alive.

It’s like trying to force a love triangle in a TV show when the audience knows one character has no chance.

Media Overdrive: Rivalries in HD
The funniest part is how the media milks every encounter for maximum drama.

A handshake that lasts three seconds too long? Instant debate show topic.

Mahomes praising an opponent? “Was he being sarcastic?”

ESPN, Fox Sports, and NFL Network treat rivalries like sacred text.

Skip Bayless practically foams at the mouth comparing Mahomes to whoever he lost to last.

Stephen A.

Smith invents new adjectives every Monday just to keep the conversation alive.

The result: rivalries don’t just live on the field—they live on Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts where grown men scream at each other about whether Josh Allen is “built for January.”

Fanbases: The True Gladiators
Let’s be honest.

The real rivalry isn’t between Mahomes and the other quarterbacks—it’s between the fanbases.

Chiefs Kingdom vs.

Bills Mafia vs.

Who Dey Nation vs.

Ravens Flock.

These people will fight online for 72 straight hours over a single Pro Football Focus stat.

Bills fans break tables to prove loyalty.

Chiefs fans brag about rings.

Bengals fans make T-shirts with Burrow’s face on them.

Ravens fans just post highlight reels of Lamar juking defenders.

Mahomes himself could be asleep, blissfully unaware, while his name is trending worldwide because two Twitter users are calling each other idiots over QBR ratings.

The Brittany and Jackson Factor
Of course, rivalries wouldn’t be complete without the supporting cast.

Brittany Mahomes adds gasoline to the fire with celebratory champagne sprays and bold Instagram posts.

Jackson Mahomes contributes TikToks that get roasted mercilessly by opposing fans.

Together, they transform rivalries into family affairs.

It’s not just Mahomes vs.Allen—it’s Brittany vs.Bills Mafia, Jackson vs.Bengals Twitter.

The drama multiplies, and the internet thanks them for the free entertainment.

The Brady Factor: The Rivalry That Never Ends
Even retired Tom Brady manages to insert himself into the Mahomes rivalry drama.

Any time Mahomes wins big, people ask: “Is he the next Brady?” Any time Mahomes loses, people say: “See, Brady never would’ve let that happen.”

It’s like Brady is haunting Mahomes’ career from the broadcast booth, forever looming as the ultimate rival who already won the rivalry before it began.

Are Rivalries Even Real Anymore?
Here’s the thing: rivalries used to be organic.

Think Brady vs.

Manning, built over a decade of epic battles.

With Mahomes, it feels different.

It’s as if the NFL and media executives sit in a room and decide: “This week, his rival is… Josh Allen!”

The rivalries are manufactured, mass-produced, and endlessly repackaged.

And fans eat it up anyway, because drama is addictive.

Mahomes: The Reluctant Protagonist
Through it all, Mahomes plays the role of the reluctant protagonist.

He rarely talks trash, rarely stirs the pot.

But no matter what he says—or doesn’t say—it becomes headline material.

He could whisper “good game” and suddenly it’s “Mahomes disrespects Allen with cold handshake.”

He’s trapped in a perpetual drama machine, whether he likes it or not.

And honestly, it’s part of why he’s the face of the NFL.

The Future of Mahomes Rivalries
Who’s next? Trevor Lawrence? C.J.

Stroud? Maybe even a college quarterback who hasn’t been drafted yet.

The NFL will keep lining them up, because every great hero needs an endless supply of villains.

And Mahomes will keep beating most of them, because that’s what he does.

The cycle will never end.

Final Thoughts: The Rivalries We Deserve
Patrick Mahomes doesn’t just play football—he headlines an ongoing drama series called The Rivalry Chronicles.

The NFL feeds it, the media exaggerates it, and the fans fuel it with memes, arguments, and table-smashing antics.

Whether it’s Allen’s grit, Burrow’s swagger, Lamar’s speed, or Herbert’s hypothetical greatness, every quarterback is measured against Mahomes.

And that’s the true sign of his dominance: he doesn’t just have rivals.

He is the rival.

So next season, when the cameras zoom in on a handshake, when Twitter explodes over a smirk, when fanbases melt down over a single interception—remember this: you’re not just watching football.

You’re watching the longest-running soap opera on television, starring Patrick Mahomes as himself.