Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) addresses the crowd on stage with quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the celebration of the Kansas City Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVIII. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs‘ mission of creating a dynasty and historic three-peat has triggered positive and negative responses in the football world. While fans endorse their back-to-back Super Bowl wins, critics believe their success is driven by hype and the Chiefs are winning probably because of the absence of strong opposition.

Amidst the debate, NFL analysts Mike Florio and Myles Simmons weighed in on the narrative of whether the Chiefs are the most hated team in the NFL. Appearing on NFL on NBC, Simmons took a stand that the Chiefs are now regarded as a ‘public enemy’. In reaction, Florio defended the Chiefs by arguing they are one of the most likable teams in the NFL.

According to Simmons, the Chiefs are an unlikable team because of their repeated success in the NFL. He delved into the psychology of the fans to explain his argument. Simmons opined,

“He (Patrick Mahomes) has made the Kansas City Chiefs so good and he is so good that now it’s gone from oh what a great story, Patrick Mahomes is so good, he is so awesome, to I am so sick of Patrick Mahomes, I am sick of the Chiefs, I am tired of the Chiefs, I don’t want to see the Chiefs anymore. That’s what makes him a public enemy.”

Meanwhile, Mike Florio stated it is hard to hate Patrick Mahomes. This is because Mahomes is a likable person and possesses a strong personality. Simmons tried to counter him by suggesting that the fans of Bengals and Bills might disagree. But Florio stood by his words and revealed one player who might be among the most hated in the NFL.

Mike Florio Names Saquon Barkley as ‘Public Enemy’

Explaining his stance, Florio hinted at the trade of ex-Giants star Saquon Barkley. He pitched Barkley as the biggest public enemy because the Giants were struggling, and the fans had pinned their hopes on Barkley this year. However, the Eagles inked a three-year, $37.5M deal with Barkley.

Florio shared these words:

“He clearly is the public enemy number one in New York. Like if Reggie wants to get the heat off of him, if the series goes back there and he is doing the game, he needs to invite Saquon to sit courtside and cheer for the Pacers, because the chant will change quickly from FU Reggie to FU Saquon. He got booed at a game in Philly.”

While there could be a backstory for the Barkley hate, several experts think the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes are probably not as unlikable as suggested by Simmons, especially after the addition of Taylor Swift. This is because a global celebrity like Taylor has expanded the Chiefs fan base. And on the flip side, the people who dislike Taylor are now inclined to dislike the Chiefs.

Hate and like are very subjective things, especially in sports. Patrick Mahomes might have a lot of haters, but he also doesn’t have a deficiency of love and support. Hence, it can’t really be said who’s “public enemy no.1.” Whoever it might be, it cant be Mahomes, considering he’s just coming off a consecutive 2-time Super Bowl win.