Quarterbacks Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes are on-field rivals. But away from the gridiron, the two have developed a friendship.
In a recent episode of The Steam Room podcast with Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson, Allen detailed the relationship between the two men. He pointed to both of them being in Miami for the F1 race over the weekend and Mahomes FaceTiming him, telling him to come and hang out.
“And you know, sure enough, we go up and we hung out for an hour and a half, two hours, just kind of hanging around, talking, having a good time,” Allen said, via Ed Easton Jr. of USA Today. “I’ve spent a couple of times around Patrick, but every time I’m around him, he’s just a great dude. He’s a great personality. He’s fun to be around. And obviously, all the respect that I have from on the field, I think it’s a different vibe than what people think.”
Essentially, it doesn’t matter much to Allen that the two are in the same conference vying for a chance to be in the Super Bowl when they’re in the offseason.
“Again, when we step on that field, we were supposed to be competitors,” Allen said. “It’s the old mantra, ‘You gotta hate your enemy.’ But I would say that we have a really good relationship, especially for, you know, the type of games that we tend to play in. [The] AFC championship two years ago, and obviously, the divisional last year.
“But he is — he’s awesome. He really is. Love being around him. And I’m super excited for this opportunity with him. Because I think the other side, they’re gonna riff a little more than, than me and Pat, I think we’re gonna feed off each other pretty well.”
Allen and Mahomes are competing together against Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers in a golf exhibition on June 1 that will be televised on TNT.
They’ll then face off again at some point in the regular season in Kansas City. The time and date of that matchup will be revealed on Thursday night.