Despite his stellar performances on the field, Patrick Mahomes has faced several comments on social media about his physique, with many highlighting a ‘dad bod’ in recent months. In response, the Kansas City Chiefs QB’s trainer stepped in to defend him.
Bobby Stroupe, who’s been Mahomes’ trainer for a long time, gave his explanation about the ‘dad bod’. “I’ll be the first to tell you that I think an NFL quarterback should have at least 14% body fat. It’s not from an unhealthy standpoint, but from a force absorption standpoint. You have to be able to take contact.” Stroupe said in a recent interview with People magazine.
Mahomes’ trainer doubled the stakes, suggesting that having a ‘dad bod’ could benefit other NFL players: “We know there’s just not a lot of quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame that have a six-pack and there’s a reason for that. We’ve got to find that fine line of performance and health. And the aesthetic part is a different conversation.
“I don’t need him to look like a model because the way he chooses to play requires a certain type of physicality, and that physicality needs more body fat. That is a core belief that I do have for him,” said Stroupe, asserting that the idea of Mahomes having a ‘dad bod’ is completely intentional and part of his routine.
The Chiefs star’s trainer rejects the idea that Mahomes requires a more typical athletic physique to perform at his best. In addition to cardio and weightlifting, Stroupe includes gymnastics, javelin exercises, and martial arts in his training approach, maximizing Patrick’s strengths to their fullest potential.
What did Patrick Mahomes said about his ‘dad bod’?
The ‘dad bod’ gained attention earlier this year when a shirtless Patrick Mahomes surprised everyone during an episode of the EW behind-the-scenes show ‘Inside the NFL‘ in January. Since then, fans on social media have been calling out the QB’s physique.
After being exposed, the Chiefs QB laughed off the remarks about his physique: “Yoooo why they have to do me like that!?!?!? #DadBodSZN“, “Like i got kids!!!!” posted Mahomes on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
He also had time to go into details in a video for Complex Sports in April: “The dad bod is real, you can see the picture of the dad bod here. It gives me the cushion that I need to take the hits, so as long as I can keep it in the right areas and it’s just in the stomach, I think we’ll be able to make this career last a long time.”