Patrick Mahomes names three toughest defensive players he's faced

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been in the NFL for only six seasons, but he’s already faced some of the league’s elite defensive players of the last decade.

During a recent interview with Complex, Mahomes named the three toughest defenders he’s played against since joining the NFL in 2017, including one former division rival he saw twice a year for his first three seasons.

“(Rams defensive tackle) Aaron Donald is one; that's out of the gate," Mahomes said. "(Dolphins cornerback) Jalen Ramsey, especially the last few years, he’s always been a dog. And (Buffalo Bills linebacker) Von Miller — I'm glad he's not in my division anymore."

Mahomes nearly faced all three players in Super Bowl LVI when they were with the Rams. However, the Cincinnati Bengals edged the Chiefs in the 2021 AFC Championship Game.

The 27-year-old signal caller’s first start came in his rookie year against a Miller-led Denver Broncos defense. Although he didn’t record a sack, Miller pressured Mahomes four times, hurried him three times and hit him once, per Pro Football Focus. In five career games against Mahomes, Miller totaled 30 pressures, 22 hurries, four QB hits and 3.5 sacks, but he has just a 1-4 record against the QB.

In two career games against the Chiefs, Donald logged 14 pressures, 11 hurries, two sacks and one QB hit on Mahomes, including a 10-pressure, eight-hurry performance in Week 12 last season. However, Donald is 0-2 against Mahomes.

In three games against Ramsey, Mahomes completed 10 of 18 passes for 182 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while targeting Ramsey, who did have two forced incompletions and a pass breakup. He’s 3-0 against the six-time Pro Bowl cornerback.