Patrick Mahomes burst onto the NFL scene and immediately made waves. The Kansas City Chiefs found a true gem in the 2017 draft, and Mahomes has already led them to two Super Bowl victories. He quickly established himself as one of the most exciting and dynamic quarterbacks in the league, dazzling fans and analysts alike with his arm strength, accuracy, and mobility.
As one of the league’s top stars, Mahomes is widely regarded as the premier quarterback in the NFL following the retirement of Tom Brady. He possesses a rare combination of physical tools, mental acuity, and leadership ability that make him a nightmare for opposing defenses.
Despite his immense popularity, there are still many people who are unfamiliar with Mahomes’ background and personal life. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 20 things you may not know about the superstar quarterback.
Mahomes’ early life and family background
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Patrick Mahomes was born on September 17, 1995, in Tyler, Texas. His mother is Randi Mahomes, and his father is former MLB pitcher Pat Mahomes, a living baseball legend. They were married from the late ’90s until their divorce in 2006, but they have been going together to Chiefs games to support their son.
Mahomes was influenced from an early age to play baseball because of his father. However, his athletic trajectory would later change in life.
Mahomes’ high school football career
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Patrick attended Whitehouse High School in Texas. He played baseball, football, and basketball in his childhood, but he excelled in the first two. In baseball, he threw a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in a game his senior year.
In football, he took advantage of his pitching skills (which he recognized were very helpful for his college football transition) and had a brilliant senior season with 4,619 passing yards, 50 passing touchdowns, 948 rushing yards, and 15 rushing touchdowns.
Mahomes’ college career at Texas Tech University
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Even though Mahomes was a three-star recruit coming out of high school, he got some D1 offers and ended up committing to Texas Tech. However, he was also a top prospect for the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. He was picked 37th by the Detroit Tigers, but he didn’t sign any contracts as he was focused on college football.
After two years of splitting between the football and baseball teams, Mahomes announced his full focus on the first sport, quitting the baseball team. His junior season proved him right: he led the country in yards per game (421), passing yards (5,052), total offense (5,312), points responsible for (318), and total touchdowns (53).
Mahomes’ transition to the NFL
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After he decided to forgo his remaining college eligibility, Mahomes entered the 2017 NFL Draft. After some impressive private workouts, his draft stock began to rise rapidly. The Kansas City Chiefs were aware of this and traded up to the 10th pick (owned by the Buffalo Bills), using it to draft Mahomes.
He signed a guaranteed four-year, $16.42 million contract that included a signing bonus of $10.08 million. However, during his rookie year, he only played one game after the team decided to rest their starting QB, Alex Smith, against the Broncos in Week 17. Mahomes completed 22 of 35 passes for 284 yards with one interception, leading the Kansas City (KC) team to a 27-24 win.
Mahomes’ MVP season in 2018
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Alex Smith got traded to the Washington Redskins in January, which meant that Mahomes was now QB1 for the Chiefs. No one expected what happened after this decision. Mahomes went crazy on opening night against the Chargers, throwing for 256 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, leading the Chiefs to their first win of the season.
He started to break records rapidly. He became the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns and one of seven players in NFL history with 5,000 passing yards in a season. Despite winning his first NFL MVP (the first winner in Chiefs history), Mahomes’ dream season was cut short by Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
Mahomes’ Super Bowl LIV victory in 2020
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In the 2019 regular season, Mahomes and the Chiefs didn’t slow down. After throwing for 4,031 yards, 26 touchdowns, and only five interceptions, while also winning the division title, Pat and KC were ready for the playoffs.
After defeating the Texans and the Titans, the Kansas City Chiefs faced the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. The Chiefs were trailing 20-10 in the fourth quarter with 8:53 remaining when, after a successful challenge, Mahomes threw a 44-yard pass to Tyreek Hill for a touchdown. Kansas City then went on a 21-0 run, securing their first championship in 50 years, and Mahomes was named Super Bowl MVP.
Mahomes’ charitable work off the field
15 and the Mahomies Foundation
Mahomes’ main involvement in charity is his nonprofit organization called the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation, founded in April 2019. The organization is “dedicated to improving the lives of children”, just as it states on their website.
Mahomes also got involved in political participation. With his teammate Tyrann Mathieu, they started a voter registration project in Kansas City, and he also joined LeBron James’ Rock the Vote movement.
Mahomes’ endorsement deals with major brands
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The list of Mahomes’ endorsement deals is long. After his MVP season, the QB signed deals with brands like Oakley, Essentia Water, Hy-Vee, State Farm, DirecTV, Adidas, and Head & Shoulders.
He released his signature shoe with Adidas in 2021, called the Mahomes 1 Impact FLX. He was also the cover athlete for the Madden NFL video game in 2020 and 2022.
Mahomes’ unique throwing style and mechanics
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His throwing technique is mainly impacted by his pitching history, which gave him uncanny accuracy. In fact, this gave him more freedom to expand another aspect of his throwing game, innovating with different kinds of passes like no-look throws or behind-the-back tosses.
His quick feet and speed allow him to burst away from the pocket, giving him a couple more seconds than the average QB. He isn’t afraid to run the ball either, taking advantage of his strength to stiff-arm defenders.
Mahomes’ athletic abilities beyond football
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Mahomes’ athleticism and agility are off the charts. He’s shown that in many other sports that he played in recent years, besides football and baseball, remarking on the fact that he got picked in the MLB draft. He’s shown his powerful golf swing at many celebrity matches with other NFL players.
He also averaged 19.3 points and 8.3 rebounds for his high school basketball team in his senior season. “If he focused on it, there’s no doubt he could be a Division I basketball player,” Whitehouse High School athletic director Richard Peacock told MaxPreps in 2013.
Mahomes’ leadership and impact on the Kansas City Chiefs
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Despite getting success at an early age, the winning experience has helped Mahomes’ leadership style. Matt Nagy, the Chiefs QB coach, has praised his growth as a leader.
“He’s rare. He has so much confidence, and when he walks into the room, results occur because of that confidence every day in practice. That’s a rare quality; you don’t come across it very often. He makes me a better coach because of it, he makes his teammates better players, and it’s just special,” he told reporters.
Mahomes’ relationships with other NFL players
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Mahomes has earned respect among his peers. He has exchanged compliments with great players likeJoe Burrow in 2022, with both being on good terms and respectful of each other.
He also mentioned that he has a good relationship with Tom Brady. “I have a good relationship with him now, and he gives me a lot of advice. He gives me some advice to help me. I mean, why would you not want to learn from the GOAT?“, Mahomessaid to the NFL Network.
Mahomes’ thoughts on race and social justice issues
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The quarterback took a strong stance against the NFL following the Colin Kaepernick controversy. In fact, he has shown on many occasions that he is not afraid to get involved in such situations.
After the murder of George Floyd, Mahomes, along with his teammate Tyrann Mathieu and several other NFL players, created a video addressed to the NFL. In the video, they urged the league to take a stand against police brutality and violence directed towards black people. They also expressed their dissatisfaction with the treatment Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid received from the league for their protests.
Mahomes’ favorite foods and restaurants
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When he has some cheat meals, Mahomes’ preferred choices include chicken biscuits from Chick-Fil-A and burrito bowls from Chipotle. He also orders prime rib, barbecue, and French fries from local establishments in Kansas City. He’s also a well-known ketchup fan.
In an interview with Men’s Journal, Mahomes spoke about his diet and training regimen. “I usually eat four to five meals a day. I eat breakfast, then lunch, and then spread out my dinners to make sure I’m not eating too much at any one time,” he revealed.
Mahomes’ training and fitness regimen
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Mobility is the main focus of Mahomes’ training. “The thing I’ve worked on the most recently is mobility. I work a lot on mobility in my joints, hip flexors, and legs. It’s important to get everything out of your body that you can,” he said.
Patrick’s typical workouts consist of foam rolling before he starts, followed by leg or arm workouts and some mobility exercises for his shoulders.
Mahomes’ love for video games and esports
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Back in 2019, Mahomes summed up his offseason into three components: working out, golf, and Call of Duty. We can safely say that Mahomes is a gamer and loves playing video games in his free time.
Mahomes also signed a deal with Epic Games to feature in the video game Fortnite. He was the first NFL player to be featured in the popular battle royale game.
Mahomes’ fashion sense and style
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The quarterback isn’t really flashy when it comes to fashion. He likes to keep it simple and pay attention to details and accessories.
He loves wearing suits, especially plaid ones, and leather jackets. His fashion game usually shows up in the accessories, paying special attention to sunglasses, chains, and watches.
Mahomes’ relationship with his fiancee, Brittany Matthews
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Mahomes attended school with Brittany Matthews in Texas, and they began dating while in high school. They recently tied the knot in 2022 in a wedding ceremony held in Hawaii.
She is a certified personal trainer and had a brief professional soccer career. Patrick and Brittany have two children: a daughter born in February 2021 and a son born in November 2022.
Mahomes’ plans for his future beyond football
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Mahomes revealed that he sees himself involved in football after his retirement. “I’ve always said that when I’m done playing, I might want to go into the GM role,” he said.
He’ll spend more time with his family after his retirement, and he has made some major investments to ensure the financial future of the Mahomes household. He joined several ownership groups that own teams like the Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City, and the Kansas City Current.
Mahomes’ legacy in the NFL and football history
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Patrick Mahomes still has many years left in his career. He is likely to stay in the NFL for many years to come, provided he remains healthy. With his exceptional talent and work ethic, he has the potential to achieve even greater success in the future.
However, even though his career hasn’t even reached its halfway point, Mahomes has already accomplished a great deal and is considered by many to be one of the greatest quarterbacks in the game today.
