“I’m excited for it,” Mahomes said. “I have not heard from Tyreek (Hill) this week. I don’t know if we’ll be talking this week, but I’ve talked to him every once in a while. I know he’s excited. He’ll be excited to come to Arrowhead. But this week, I won’t talk to him as much. I’ll say.”

Hill was one of the most accomplished players in Chiefs history, having earned six Pro Bowl selections, three first-team All-Pro nods, and a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade team for the 2010s before being traded in 2022. He immediately signed a four-year, $120 million extension, including $72.2 million in guaranteed money with the Dolphins following the trade, adding two more Pro Bowl seasons to his resume.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re competitors,” Mahomes explained. “At the end of the day, you see me guys like Maxx Crosby. You see me, I have that fire, that competitive fire, and you’re on the football field. And he’s he’s the same way. It’s what makes him so great.

“You are still friends in the offseason. But when you play on the field, you’re trying to compete to win. That’s just kind of how it is. And I’m excited for the opportunity for our defense. I’m excited for the opportunity for our team to go against a great football team.”

The competition will be fierce for the wild card playoff matchup as the personal, friendly rivalry between the teammates will take a backseat to the goal of winning a championship.