Draft:Josh Allen–Patrick Mahomes rivalry

The Josh Allen–Patrick Mahomes rivalry is a series of games played since 2020 between two quarterbacks in the National Football League (NFL): Josh Allen and Patrick Mahomes. The rivalry has drawn comparisons to that of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning. The most famous game in the rivalry so far has been the 2021 AFC Divisional Round Game.

Background
Allen has played for the Buffalo Bills since 2018, when he was the 7th pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. Allen has since been the Bills' starting quarterback and broken several Bills franchise passing and rushing records, primarily in his breakout 2020 season where he passed for 37 touchdowns.

Mahomes was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs with 10th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, and he has been with the Chiefs ever since. Mahomes was the backup to then Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith in his first year. He made his first career start against the Denver Broncos in 2017. Smith was traded the next month and Mahomes was the new Kansas City quarterback. In his first full year as a starter, Mahomes threw 50 touchdowns and he won the NFL MVP Award. He followed that up the next year by winning Super Bowl LIV 31–20.

Both quarterbacks are renowned for their arm strength while throwing the football, in addition to their mobile styles of play — though they are both pass-first quarterbacks, Allen and Mahomes have both demonstrated the ability to effectively scramble in the pocket, escape pressure, and even run with the ball when called upon.

Rivalry
As of the 2022 NFL season, Allen and Mahomes have played each other five times, with Mahomes leading the all-time series 3–2. They have met twice in the playoffs, with Mahomes winning both games. While both were starting quarterbacks since, they did not have their first meeting until the regular season, in which Mahomes' Chiefs defeated Allen's Bills 26–17 in Buffalo. They would later meet in the AFC Championship game, which the Chiefs won 38–24, sending them to their second consecutive Super Bowl.

In the 2021 AFC Divisional Round Game, Allen threw for four touchdowns and 329 yards while Mahomes threw for three touchdowns and 378 yards. The final two minutes saw 25 points scored between the teams, including 10 points in the final 13 seconds. The Chiefs won the coin toss and they quickly scored a touchdown to win the game 42–36. The game was an instant classic and it sparked the rivalry between Allen and Mahomes.

Outside football
Despite their on-field rivalry, Allen and Mahomes have a mutual respect for one another and have teamed up for the 2022 edition of The Match, an exhibition golf competition. They faced off against Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, with Rodgers winning with a last-second shot.