Patrick Mahomes Responds to Raiders Puppet Incident
Raiders rookie Trey Taylor caused a stir when he grabbed a puppet from a fan and played with it briefly. The video went viral, provoking reactions from the Chiefs’ community, including Patrick Mahomes. In a July 26 press conference, Mahomes addressed the situation, saying, “It’s still early in the year. Stuff like that happens. It’ll get handled when it gets handled.” His tone suggested he was taking the incident seriously.
Mahomes’ impressive record against the Raiders, with a 10-2 career mark and 30 touchdowns to four interceptions, makes it unlikely he needs extra motivation. The Chiefs quarterback already has three Super Bowl rings.
Antonio Pierce Says the Situation Is Resolved
The Raiders and Chiefs, historic rivals, often antagonize each other. Despite this, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce emphasized that the puppet incident is resolved. “We nipped it in the bud,” Pierce said during his July 26 press conference. “It’s over with.”
Given the Raiders were the last team to defeat the Chiefs before their Super Bowl run, Kansas City already has plenty of motivation to win. The puppet incident is unlikely to significantly impact their performance.
Raiders Unhappy with Power Rankings
Expectations for the Raiders this season are low. Bleacher Report ranks them as the 25th-best team in the NFL, while The Athletic places them at 26. This ranking, despite six teams with worse records last season being ranked higher, has not gone unnoticed by the Raiders players.
Linebacker Robert Spillane expressed his frustration on July 25. “I tried to not see it, but I am pissed off,” he said. “I’m angry at a lot of the rankings that go on. Of course, that adds fuel to the fire. We’re going to go out there and make it happen.”
Cornerback Jack Jones also felt disrespected by the rankings. “I feel like they were disrespecting me, the team, him,” Jones said. “I don’t like that. That set a fire under me.”
The Raiders believe they are better than the power rankings suggest, and they are determined to prove it on the field.
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