Saturday marked the first matchup between Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. The three-time Super Bowl champion went up against the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year for the first time, in what could potentially emerge as another strong AFC quarterback rivalry.
Mahomes and the Chiefs took this matchup with a 27–19 win over the Texans. Just six days after spraining his ankle, Mahomes threw for 260 yards and scored two touchdowns. Stroud notched two touchdowns on the day as well, but also threw two interceptions which proved costly in the Texans' loss.
After the game, Mahomes met up with Stroud on the field and told the second-year passer, "Hope we see y'all in the playoffs."
Y’all got a good one. Great game, @HoustonTexans! pic.twitter.com/dAKbH4c6wn
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) December 21, 2024
The Chiefs currently hold the No. 1 seed in the AFC, while the Texans have the No. 4 seed. If these seedings stand, the earliest the two teams could face off in the postseason is the divisional round.
During their brief exchange, Mahomes also told Stroud, "Prayers for Tank," in reference to the brutal injury to Texans wide receiver Tank Dell. During the third quarter of the game, Dell endured a knee injury while catching a 30-yard touchdown from Stroud. He was carted into an ambulance on a stretcher, and taken to University of Kansas Hospital.
Stroud replied, "Appreciate that. God bless you, bro."
In his postgame presser, Stroud added of Mahomes, "That's amazing. That shows his heart and what kind of guy he is. I pray for him and his family as well. That's very nice of him."
“That shows what type of heart he has,” said Texans QB C.J. Stroud about Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and his concern for injured WR Tank Dell. #Texans #Sarge pic.twitter.com/bS0lq41VTS
— BIG SARGE MEDIA LLC (@BigSargeSportz) December 21, 2024
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Patrick Mahomes Had Classy Message For C.J. Stroud, Tank Dell After Chiefs Win.
