TYLER, Texas — Tyler native Gary Baxter has a special connection to Sunday's AFC Championships between the Baltimore Ravens and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Baxter, who played at John Tyler High School (now Tyler High) and later Baylor University, was drafted as a cornerback for the Baltimore Ravens in 2001. He then played in the NFL for eight years with the Ravens and the Cleveland Browns before suffering a career-ending injury in 2006.
He was inducted into the Tyler ISD Hall of Fame along with the Baylor Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018.
With the AFC Championships gearing up between the Ravens and the Chiefs, CBS19 spoke with Baxter Saturday ahead of the big game because of his East Texas ties and his history with the Ravens.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is also from East Texas, graduating high school from Whitehouse, which is exactly 15 miles from Tyler High.
However, the correlation has no influence on who he's rooting for in the AFC game.
"Anytime we have guys from East Texas, older or younger, it's always a good feeling," Baxter said. "People always ask me what's in the water down there in East Texas. I'm happy for Patrick Mahomes for making another AFC Championships but I'm going to have to make a little exception. Because we've got to get those Ravens to the Super Bowl and send Patrick Mahomes home to watch it."
Both teams' quarterbacks spent time with the media this week and used a portion of it to give credit to the other. However, when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was asked about facing Mahomes, he jokingly admitted that he didn't enjoy it.
"I don't like competing against him at all," Jackson said. "Two great up and coming greats going toe to toe, it's like a heavy weight fight."
Baxter is no stranger to the talent each player has and recognizes this game as a tough one.
"Patrick Mahomes has shown and proven that he can win Super Bowls. So he's someone you have to respect," Baxter said. "Lamar Jackson is a very dynamic player and he will eat you up too. So it is going to be a heavyweight fight."
All in all, Baxter believes football brings everyone together and he's ready to enjoy the atmosphere of M&T Bank Stadium, the home of the Baltimore Ravens, where he'll be watching the matchup.