Chiefs fans react against Jaylen Watson, feeling Patrick Mahomes was disrespected

There is no love lost between the Kansas City Chiefs, their fans, and Jaylen Watson. After the former cornerback snubbed Patrick Mahomes in a social media post, the fanbase rallied to defend its three-time Super Bowl champion. Ahead of the 2026 NFL season, tempers flared between Chiefs Kingdom and the Los Angeles Rams‘ defensive back.

“[Not going to lie] I haven’t played a quarterback who throw that peel like [Matthew Stafford],“ Watson wrote on his X account. Having spent the first four years of his NFL career with Mahomes and the Chiefs, Watson’s statement raised eyebrows.

It didn’t take long for Chiefs fans to find their former defensive back’s post, and the replies were filled with comments criticizing Watson and defending Mahomes. Needless to say, Mahomes himself made no comment, showing the animosity exists only between Watson and the fanbase—and is confined to social media.

Fans reply to Watson’s post

“Disrespect my glorious king Patrick Mahomes again. We are going to see how long you would be playing,” an upset, yet sarcastic fan stated. “There’s a guy who’s played in five super bowls, won three of them, who would like a word,” another user replied to Watson’s post. “Yeah, what QB got you the rings? You can be happy on a new team, but to be disrespectful for how you got where you are is just lame,” another fan said.

Clearly, the fanbase in the City of Fountains didn’t take Watson’s comment lightly. No Mahomes slander will be tolerated on their watch—even if there wasn’t any to begin with. Watson mentioned Stafford as the best thrower he has “played,” against, which could mean Mahomes wasn’t even under consideration since Watson never faced him outside of practice. However, Watson has never played Stafford, either. Stafford didn’t play the lone time Watson faced the Rams in 2022.

See also

Chiefs urged to sign Stefon Diggs as fans panic over Xavier Worthy, Cyrus Allen injuries

Unless he was counting his head-to-head matchups with Mahomes during Chiefs practices, Watson’s comments shouldn’t be controversial whatsoever. Still, if he still believes Stafford is a better pure thrower than Mahomes, there’s nothing wrong with that, either. He’s entitled to his opinion, and it doesn’t take anything away from the success he had while sharing a team with Mahomes.

Rams and Chiefs will meet soon

All this drama makes fans wish there were an immediate way to settle the debate over who the better quarterback is. So close, yet so far. The Chiefs and Rams will meet in a preseason game on Aug. 15.

However, neither Mahomes nor Stafford is expected to play much in the opening week of the NFL preseason—maybe a drive or two, at most—and there will be no joint practices between the teams, as the Chiefs have opted not to schedule any in 2026.

If Watson is to face Mahomes and his former teammates during the 2026 NFL season, it can only happen in Super Bowl LXI. It would be the perfect stage for Watson, as he could face his former team at home at SoFi Stadium on Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14). Still, that’s a long ways ahead.