After only three seasons of professional football, Patrick Mahomes has already become a Super Bowl champion and the emerging face of the league. He’s also fast supplanting George Brett as KC’s ultimate sports hero and growing into a cultural icon that transcends sports.
The Highest-Paid Player in History
At the beginning of July, Patrick Mahomes signed a ten-year contract worth five hundred million dollars. By signing this extension, Mahomes became the first athlete to ever have a contract worth half a billion dollars. It’s a new bar for every athlete in every league around the world, all of whom will now aspire to be worth Mahomes Money.
Mahomes started spending right after the ink was dry, buying a 788-horsepower Ferrari 812 Superfast (in an understated charcoal gray) and a minority stake in the Royals.
The Conversation-Altering Social Activist
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In early June, Mahomes appeared in a video with several other Black NFL athletes in which they called for the NFL to make a statement in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and apologize for previously trying to silence players. The NFL’s complicated history with the movement can be traced back to the organization’s relationship with Colin Kaepernick, who was forced out of the league after he kneeled during the national anthem.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell responded to the video of Mahomes and company, releasing a statement of solidarity with BLM by the end of that week. As one of the league’s most identifiable and beloved stars, Mahomes had an undeniable influence on the league’s response.
Leading Black MVP
Mahomes is leading a new generation of Black quarterbacks in what sports writers are dubbing the “Black quarterback revolution.” Along with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, who, like Mahomes, won the league’s MVP title, Mahomes is sure to open new opportunities for young athletes following in his footsteps.
The Hungry Texan
one more ring @PatrickMahomes will be able to add to his collection when Whataburger opens in Kansas City pic.twitter.com/8p695aTut3
— Whataburger® (@Whataburger) September 2, 2020
It seems a little trivial by comparison, but it’s evidence of just how much water Mahomes draws around these parts: The native Texan tweeted at the Lone Star State’s favorite food chain, Whataburger, to request they put a franchise in KC, and the chain responded with a “yes, sir.” Whataburger is now eyeing a storefront in Lee’s Summit. That’s just how much pull Mahomes has.
The Crew
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Patrick Mahomes is such a cultural force in KC that the people closest to him also have clout. Pat’s little brother, Jackson Mahomes, is a TikTok star. Likewise, Mahomes’ fiance, Brittany Matthews, a personal trainer and owner of her own fitness program, is a social media star with more than five hundred thousand followers on Instagram. Even Mahomes’ dogs, a pitbull named Steel and cane corso named Silver, have a prominent social media presence.
