Patrick Mahomes is just as disappointed as everyone about Aaron Rodgers’ COVID absence

Patrick Mahomes was looking forward to playing against Aaron Rodgers.

Now, like everyone else, the Chiefs’ star quarterback is disappointed that the unvaccinated Packers quarterback will miss this week’s matchup after testing positive for COVID-19. Mahomes missed the last Kansas City-Green Bay game in 2019, so we’ll need to wait to see him face off against Rodgers.

“When you get to see an all-time great like him play, and I’ve kind of watched his game for a long time, feeling that I play a similar style, you always want to compete against the best,” Mahomes told reporters. “Hopefully he’s healthy, it’s not too bad. I’m sure he’ll come back from it stronger than he was before.”

Rodgers has come under intense criticism for appearing to lie about his vaccination status by omission when he said he was “immunized,” reportedly referencing homeopathic treatment. He also likely broke the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols by appearing at press conferences without a mask.

Mahomes said he hasn’t reached out to Rodgers yet, but it sounded like he planned on it.

“I haven’t got to yet,” Mahomes said. “I heard about it as I was going on to the walk-through to the field. Obviously it’s disappointing and I hope he’s healthy and that he can get through it.”

After the news hit, the betting line for Sunday’s game swung from a pick’em to Kansas City -7. Thus is the anticipated difference between Rodgers and Jordan Love, who will start in his absence.

“I got to watch some games [Love] played in college, obviously, and he was slinging it around the field making a lot of plays happen,” Mahomes said. “[He] had a great preseason and played really well, so I’m sure he’ll be ready.”