AFC Notes: Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Broncos, Chiefs, Raiders

Broncos

• Broncos HC Sean Payton on CB Riley Moss missing the past three games due to an MCL issue: “He’s a big reason why we were playing so well defensively. The sooner the better when we can get him back in the lineup. Hopefully, it can happen this weekend.” (Mike Klis)
• Payton on if RB Audric Estime has earned more carries after Chargers game: “I think he has. I think he has played well. I was encouraged with the physicality he ran with. Even Blake (Watson) had some carries that were encouraging. Balancing that is going to be key going forward.” (Troy Renck)

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes looked good against the Texans despite his status being in question due to an ankle injury he sustained against the Browns. Mahomes told reporters he had no issues playing through pain if the team needed him to, just as he would expect his teammates to do.

“I ask a lot from the guys around me and, so, I feel like if I’m going to ask them to play through pain, if I’m going to ask them to play through little nicks and bruises and stuff like that, I’ve got to do it,” Mahomes said, via Pro Football Talk. “That’s something that I pride myself on, is being out there with my guys and playing football. I’m not going to put us in a position to be in a bad spot or lose a football game, but if I feel like I can compete and win, I’ll be out on that football field.”

Raiders

Raiders owner Mark Davis said he wants Tom Brady to have a “huge voice” in the short and long-term future of the franchise.

“I want Tom to have a huge voice. No question about it,” Davis said, via Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. “It’s part of building the infrastructure of the organization, which is something that we didn’t have… a football person on that side of it that’s not a coach or a general manager, but somebody who can oversee the whole picture. And I believe Tom, in time, will be the person who can do that. He’s got a great ability to communicate on a level that people can understand and not trying to talk over them. I’m excited and really grateful that he’s part of the Raiders organization.”

Brady wouldn’t join the team until after the Super Bowl, yet an NFL source confirmed to Jones that there are no league rules against Brady assisting the team while remaining in his role as a broadcaster.

“When Tom was hired, I promised to Fox that we would not get in the way of Tom’s job and that he’s going to be one of the best announcers in the game,” Davis noted. “Anything he does with the Raiders will be in the future, as far as that goes. Obviously, I talk to him all of the time and his input is greatly valued and will always be valued. We’ll see as time goes on how his role evolves in here. But he’s very excited about it. But again we’re respecting his obligations to Fox…”I don’t know if you can do it that way, but obviously with them having the Super Bowl it gives him an extra two weeks that he’s going to be tied to Fox full-on. So I suppose that’s the answer to the question. I will say the one thing that this team has done is fought hard in every game, they’re fighting hard. That’s something that you don’t find all the time when things aren’t as good as you want them to be. That’s a positive about the way that this team has responded.”