Lamar Jackson: Don't Have Relationship with Mahomes; Chiefs Opener Isn't Revenge Game

The Baltimore Ravens' season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday doesn't carry an added personal edge for star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The two-time MVP told reporters Sunday he doesn't have much of a relationship with the Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, which is the case with him and most other QBs around the NFL.

Adding onto that, Jackson said he doesn't view a matchup with the Chiefs, who beat Baltimore in last year's AFC title game as a revenge game because "any game I play in I feel like it's a revenge game."

Despite those comments, others will place more stakes on Chiefs vs. Ravens than you'd typically see for a Week 1 clash.

Baltimore and Kansas City are both Super Bowl contenders in 2024, so the winner will make a strong early statement. Likewise, the MVP race won't be over after one game, but either Mahomes or Jackson could put himself at the head of the field with a strong performance.

Calling this a rivalry from a historical perspective would be a stretch because there isn't much shared history between the franchises. They've met just 13 times overall and only four times since Jackson became the Ravens' full-time starter in 2019.

But it's appointment viewing any time Jackson and Mahomes cross paths given the lofty status they have at their position.