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Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes Responds to Raiders' Kermit Doll Video: 'It'll Get Handled'

Scott Polacek@@ScottPolacekX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVJuly 26, 2024

HENDERSON, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 08: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs warms up during Kansas City Chiefs practice ahead of Super Bowl LVIII at the Las Vegas Raiders Headquarters/Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center on February 08, 2024 in Henderson, Nevada. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The Las Vegas Raiders may want to think twice about giving Patrick Mahomes of all people bulletin board material.

After video emerged of the Raiders with a Mahomes Kermit the Frog doll at training camp, the quarterback told reporters Friday, "It's still early in the year. ... It'll get handled when it gets handled."

Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdate

The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Raiders?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Raiders</a> appear to have a Patrick Mahomes Kermit the Frog doll at training camp. πŸ‘€ <br><br>(πŸŽ₯ <a href="https://twitter.com/RaidersAQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RaidersAQ</a>) <br> <a href="https://t.co/vaOs2TNrQh">pic.twitter.com/vaOs2TNrQh</a>

It should be noted Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported a fan brought the doll to training camp and asked safety Trey Taylor to hold it. So it's not as if Las Vegas players themselves were the ones who put the doll together and brought it to practice.

That didn't stop it from landing on Mahomes' radar.

The quarterback's trainer, Bobby Stroupe, responded to the video on social media by saying "we will remember." Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also responded when asked about the video:

NFL on CBS 🏈 @NFLonCBS

"We don't spend a lot of time here with puppets." 🀣<br><br>Andy Reid on the Patrick Mahomes Kermit the Frog video at Raiders training camp.<br><br>🎀: <a href="https://twitter.com/jjones9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jjones9</a> <a href="https://t.co/Gx0aPu02X5">pic.twitter.com/Gx0aPu02X5</a>

The idea that Mahomes' voice resembles that of Kermit the Frog is not a new one, as the man himself even joked about it during a press conference ahead of last season's Super Bowl:

NFL @NFL

.<a href="https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@patrickmahomes</a> got jokes. πŸ˜‚<br><br>πŸ“Ί: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SBOpeningNight?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SBOpeningNight</a> on NFLN &amp; CBSSN<br>πŸ“±: Stream on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NFLPlus?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NFLPlus</a> <a href="https://t.co/MqYejeSzvc">pic.twitter.com/MqYejeSzvc</a>

Still, he would be far from the first elite athlete to take a slight from a rival, real or imagined, and use it as motivation when taking the field.

And the last thing the Raiders want is an even more motivated Mahomes.

The all-time great is 10-2 against his AFC West rival and threw for 3,573 yards, 30 touchdowns and four interceptions in those contests. That is an impressive full-season stat line for most signal-callers, and he had little trouble picking apart the Raiders' secondary throughout his career.

If nothing else, this makes the matchups between Kansas City and Las Vegas on Oct. 27 and Nov. 29 appointment viewing for NFL fans this season.