"The guy's been in the NFL for 17 f***g years" - NFL analyst claims Sammy Watkins saying Aaron Rodgers is better won't bother Patrick Mahomes

Sammy Watkins' comments comparing Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes are one of the main topics of discussion in this week's NFL zeitgeist. Basically, the receiver, who has now worked with both quarterbacks, came out in support of No. 12 over the Chiefs quarterback.

Fans, pundits, and analysts are picking apart the statement and deciding whether he's right or wrong and how it affects Mahomes. Speaking on the Pat McAfee Show, show host Pat McAfee said that the wide receiver's comments aren't wrong, but they don't affect the superstar quarterback of the Chiefs. Here's how he put it:

"Sammy Watkins came out and said, ‘Pat Mahomes is incredibly good, but A-Rod is on a whole other level’ and everybody's like, ‘is this disrespectful to Patrick Mahomes?’"

He went on to claim that Mahomes will admit it himself later in his career:

"Well, he's Patrick Mahomes, I would assume at some point in his career, whenever he's comfortable enough and doesn't want to get the backlash from it or say, 'yeah, like a lot of the s** I do, obviously I've seen a guy do before and he's a hippie who plays quarterback for the f** Green Bay Packers.'"

Continuing on, McAfee said that he's not exactly surprised by the comment:

"Patrick Mahomes literally just got done saying like a year ago that he finally learned how to read defenses. so I don't think this is that big of a comment from Sammy Watkins. The guy's been in the NFL for 17 f** years, has a photographic memory, has seen everything and can make every single throw."

Lastly, he claimed the comment wasn't an attack against No. 15:

"I don't think this was a slight on Patrick Mahomes. I think this was like, hey, maybe in ten years from now, if Patrick Mahomes can continue to do what he's doing, [continue to] evolve and everything, he will be on a whole other level than he is right now too. But everybody wanted to use that as like, 'Oh, Sammy [has turned] his back on Patrick.'"

Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers in recent years

Capital One's The Match VI - Brady & Rodgers v Allen & Mahomes

Rodgers and Mahomes have both hit extreme highs in recent years. Both have made deep playoff runs while putting up objectively eye-popping numbers. The Chiefs quarterback has put up 75 touchdowns and 19 interceptions over the last two years, while the Packers quarterback has 85 touchdowns and nine interceptions during that same span.

Mahomes has recently been to two Super Bowls and Rodgers has recently been to three NFC Championship games. Put simply, both quarterbacks have been to the top. However, around the same time, both have found themselves getting knocked more than ever before.

Mahomes is coming off a heartbreaking loss in the AFC Championship game to the Cincinnati Bengals. At the same time, Rodgers is coming off his first season since 2018 that didn't end in an NFC Championship game. Both quarterbacks have also lost their top wide receivers in Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams.