Many will probably agree that the Kansas City Chiefs are one of, if not the best NFL team to play for nowadays. However, not all the players in the league seem to be thrilled with the idea of playing under Andy Reid or teaming up with Patrick Mahomes.
In an interview with The Athletic, star running back Josh Jacobs revealed he turned down that opportunity this offseason. The 26-year-old, who joined the Green Bay Packers in free agency, explained his past with the Las Vegas Raiders is enough to completely rule out the Chiefs as a potential destination in his career, even with Reid in charge or Mahomes at quarterback.
“They were trying hard to get me,” Jacobs said. “But there was no way I was going there. I feel like once you are rivals with somebody, you have a genuine hate for them. I couldn’t see myself in that color. And besides, I never wanted to be the guy that joined the dominant team. I want to be the guy that beats the dominant team.”
Instead of joining forces with Mahomes on the Chiefs, Jacobs signed a four-year, $48 million contract to boost Jordan Love’s offense on the Packers. He gave the Raiders the chance to match that offer though, but Las Vegas opted not to do so.
Running back Josh Jacobs #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders warms-up prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Allegiant Stadium on October 09, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Still, Jacobs holds no grudges against his former team. At the end of the day, he appreciates the Raiders—where he played from 2019 to 2023—enough to block any possibility of playing for the Chiefs, even if that means ruling out the possibility of playing with the best quarterback in the NFL, and therefore a bigger possibility of winning a Super Bowl ring.
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Even without Jacobs, Chiefs improve offense around Mahomes
Even though Jacobs would have been a massive addition for the Chiefs, the team has made notable moves in offense. Not at running back, but Mahomes will still have more weapons than last year.
As the group failed to help the quarterback in 2023, Kansas City revamped the wide receiver room by signing Marquise “Hollywood” Brown in free agency and by trading up in the 2024 NFL Draft to get Xavier Worthy in the first round.
Those signings were followed with the return of veteran wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster and the arrival of former Joe Burrow and Russell Wilson teammate Samaje Perine.
Perine is expected to serve as the third-string running back behind Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire, so this group remains quite untouched for 2024. Jacobs would’ve made things different, but Mahomes and Reid have already proven they can always find ways to succeed.
