We all know Patrick Mahomes is the star quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. We all know he’s won two Super Bowls. And we all know he’s got a multi-million-dollar contract to go alongside his multiple MVP titles. Yet even though Mahomes has been under the scrutiny of the NFL spotlight for over five years now, there are still lots of details about this mega-talented athlete that most people don’t know. These revealing facts somehow slipped under the radar… until now.
He’s Not the First Patrick Mahomes
Mahomes' real name is Patrick Lavon Mahomes II. And if you’re a baseball fan as well as a football fan, you might know that Mahomes I has a sporting legacy of his own. He was in fact a pitcher in Major League Baseball and in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball from 1992 to 2003. During that time, Mahomes I notched up 452 MLB strikeouts and played for seven different major teams.
Yet while Mahomes I didn’t ever play for the Kansas City Royals, he did pass his skills and passion for baseball onto his oldest son. After all, Mahomes II proved to be a multi-talented athlete from a young age.
Mahomes Is Good at Other Sports
When Patrick Mahomes was still in high school, he showed an aptitude for three sports: football, baseball, and basketball. “Patrick is the poster child for the multi-sport athlete,” Mahomes’ high school football coach Adam Cook told Yahoo Sports back in 2020. “In high-school football, you are guaranteed just ten games,” Cook said. “Instead [of only playing football], Patrick was always playing something and learning how to win along the way.”
“Because he played multiple sports, the overlay of all of those experiences and skills are there in the NFL,” Cook continued. And it seems that Mahomes agrees that it all paid off in the end.
He Has Basketball to Thank for One of His Trademarks
While we don’t know as much about Mahomes’ basketball career as we would like — it happened mostly at the high-school level — we do know how it has impacted his football abilities. Mahomes has even credited his trademark no-look passes to the sport. “It definitely helps whenever you have played basketball in your career,” he told Sports Illustrated magazine in 2018. “When you do those no-look passes in basketball, it translates.”
How good was Mahomes at basketball? He played for Whitehouse High School in Texas in his senior year, with a per-game average of 19 points and eight rebounds. He was also, apparently, a good team player.
Mahomes Had a Bright Baseball Future
Considering that baseball runs in Mahomes’ blood, it’s perhaps not surprising to learn that he was a pretty darn good baseball player. He was something of an all-rounder, showing an ability to hit, run, pitch, and field. He played for his high school team, with the standout moment coming in his senior year, when he pitched a no-hitter with 16 strikeouts. After that game, Mahomes told the East Texas Sports Network, “It’s definitely the best I’ve felt all season.”
He also boasted that he was “hard to hit” when he was playing so well. He continued to play in college, too. And Mahomes was so good at baseball that it almost derailed his football career.
He Broke a Kid’s Glasses in T-Ball — At Just Four Years Old
T-ball is supposed to be a stripped-down version of baseball to get kids learning the game and having fun. But it turned out that a young Mahomes was already too advanced for that kind of thing. His father told ESPN in 2018 that a four-year-old Mahomes was traded for two players while playing T-ball in Texas. He then started playing coach-pitch with boys older than him. His arm still proved troublesome, though.
Mahomes threw a ball to first — and hit the baseman square in the face, breaking his glasses. “I thought everybody could catch,” Mahomes later quipped.
He Wasn’t Always the Most Present Student
It seems that the young Mahomes used his dad’s baseball career as a reason for getting out of class. “It helped out that I went to private school when I was younger, so they let me skip a few weeks at a time,” Mahomes told 610 Sports Radio in 2018. “I would miss school for about a week or two, get my work in advance, and I’d go up and just hang out with him and be with him.”
But that didn’t mean he got out of school work. “[Dad]’d still stay on me about doing my school work, but it was a good experience to be around him and travel with him,” Mahomes said. “I remember riding buses from stadium to stadium.”
He Had a Telling Favorite Movie as a Kid
There’s a picture floating around the internet of Mahomes as a 14-year-old baseball player. It’s a screengrab of Mahomes playing at the 2010 Junior League Baseball Championship, and his stats are displayed at the bottom of the picture. They reveal that he was 6’1” and 165 pounds at this time. Yet it’s what’s written as Mahomes’ favorite movie that, in retrospect, gives you a clue to this young man’s future. The film? Remember the Titans.
We don’t know what Mahomes thinks of the movie today, but it’s fitting he chose a based-on-a-true-story football film as his favorite. What more inspiration could a young man need?
Baseball Almost Stopped Him From Going to College
After graduating from high school but before attending college, Mahomes was picked by the Detroit Tigers in the 37th round of the draft. This gave Mahomes a choice: ditch college and play baseball professionally — or go to college and worry about pro baseball later. “After a lot of talk with my parents and a lot of praying, I knew the best decision for me was to go to college and get to experience college football and baseball,” Mahomes later told ESPN.
“It was the best decision for me and my future,” Mahomes explained. “The biggest advantage is getting all the memories that college gives you and the life of being a college kid."
He Figured He’d Play Pro Baseball at Some Point
A big part of his decision for choosing college over baseball was that he thought he’d get another shot at a pro career. After all, the young Mahomes figured playing college baseball would improve his game infinitely. And if he stayed injury-free, he told ESPN, the MLB would no doubt come calling for him after college. But he was also thinking about a career in the NFL at the time, too.
He was going to go to Texas Tech and work with the renowned quarterback coach Kliff Kingsbury. This would give Mahomes the best shot of succeeding in Big 12 Conference football.
His Dad Gave Him His First Nickname
Patrick Mahomes had any number of nicknames in the first few years of his career. These have included, but are not limited to, Monster, Magic, The Grim Reaper, Patomic Bomb, Post Mahomes, Young GOAT, and — oddly enough — Batman Left-Handed. Nobody can seem to agree on just what the man should be called! But the one nickname that has stuck was given to him by none other than his dad: Showtime.
According to a Mahomes interview on 610 Sports Radio, the Showtime moniker has been in place since childhood. And whether you like the name or not, it’s hard to argue that he hasn’t lived up to it.
We Have Randi Mahomes to Thank for Keeping Her Son Playing Football
Back in high school, Mahomes almost deprived himself of his future, very lucrative career. And he’s lucky that he had a mom who was always looking out for him. “I knew when it came to sports he was going to be able to reach whatever level he wanted,” Randi Mahomes told FOX4 in 2020. “Before his junior year in high school, he came to me that summer wanting to quit football, but I just said, ‘You’re going to regret it if you quit.’”
She was, of course, very much correct. “I am very, very proud,” Randi said. “I always say we're blessed. He’s blessed to be able to do his dream, to live doing exactly what he loves.”
His Mom Also Helped Him Avoid Embarrassing Photos
In October 2020 Mahomes appeared on 610 Sports Radio, and as Halloween was around the corner, the topic of costumes came up. The hosts were perhaps hoping to unearth a photo of the quarterback star dressed in an embarrassing Halloween costume — but they were out of luck. “I don’t think I really had one,” Mahomes said. “When I grew up my mom just let me be a baseball player, a basketball player.”
“I think the only one other than that was, like, Batman,” Mahomes confessed. “I got it pretty good in not having to wear anything crazy.” Good for him — but not for fans hoping for a funny picture!
Mahomes Looked up to Another Baseball Player
We know that Mahomes II had Mahomes I as a baseballer to revere as a role model. But the quarterback has also had another idol in the outfield. “Definitely Alex Rodriguez,” Mahomes told 610 Sports Radio. “My dad had just gotten over with the Rangers and I really remember being on the field and just seeing him. He played shortstop, I played shortstop. That was the guy that was really my role model.”
Mahomes elaborated that he saw A-Rod as a guy who knew “how to play the game and have a lot of success doing it.” Well, if you’re going to be inspired, you may as well be inspired by the best!
Mahomes Wanted to Be a Part of the Red Raiders
When Mahomes spoke to ESPN about his decision to choose college over MLB, he revealed that it was the lure of the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team that clinched it. “It’s a huge role in it, how much [football] is supported in Texas, especially in Lubbock. That’s what brought me here,” Mahomes said. “Both of my parents told me from the beginning that it was my decision, and they stuck with that.”
Mahomes also said he had his dad’s experience to lean on. “My dad had a full ride to Arkansas for basketball,” he said, “and he knew how hard it was to let that go, so he knew what situation I was in.”
He Started Dating His Future Wife in the Tenth Grade
Since becoming a superstar, Mahomes has seen his private life come under close scrutiny. So it was big news when he and his wife, Brittany, announced their wedding plans and their pregnancies. And their love story is also a pretty sweet one. The pair met when they both went to Whitehouse High School in Texas, and they began dating all the way back in the tenth grade. They’ve been together ever since.
They even stayed the course while they attended colleges 440 miles apart. But that paled in comparison to 2017: that’s when Brittany played soccer in Iceland while Mahomes was with the Chiefs.
Mahomes May Owe His Impressive Arm to Baseball
One thing baseball may have done for Mahomes is give him his staggering throwing arm. He used to play “long toss” all the time as a kid. “I think a lot of [my improvisation] is from baseball and how I could sling the ball across the diamond. I played shortstop my whole life. I never had my feet under me. I was always making throws across my body,” Mahomes told Texas Football magazine in 2016.
He still plays a version of football long toss during his NFL warm-ups. “Until I get those long tosses in, I haven’t loosened up my arm. I haven’t gotten my arm going,” he told The Ringer in 2019.
He Didn’t Leave Baseball Behind Until His Junior Year
Mahomes continued to play football and baseball in the first two years of college — though he was always more successful in football. In his sophomore year, for example, he passed for 4,653 yards, rushed for 456 yards, and contributed to 46 touchdowns. But in baseball, he only played in three games, pinch-hitting twice. He announced his official departure from baseball ahead of the 2016 season.
“Moving forward, after speaking with my family following the bowl game, I feel it is in my best interest to concentrate solely on football and academics this spring,” he said in a statement at the time.
His Football Dream Meant That He Didn’t Finish College
In his junior year, Mahomes had the season of all seasons. The quarterback set a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) record of 819 yards of total offense in just one game. He also equaled the record for passing yards and threw 88 passes. It was clear he was destined for greatness — so his decision to enter the NFL draft instead of finishing off college couldn’t have been a surprise.
“It was a really hard decision for me,” Mahomes told ESPN in 2017, “but it’s always been a dream to play professional sports, and the dream of going through college and wanting to be an NFL player is always what drove me.”
He Also Plays Golf
As if it weren’t bad enough that Mahomes is good at football, baseball, and basketball, he’s also shown talent on the golf course. “Golf has become a huge part of everything,” Mahomes told Golf.com in 2022. “When I plan trips, when I set up my off-season, I have to figure out places to play when I'm there.” It seems that the game plays a vital role in his off-season experience.
“I've got this love of golf because I have to get better, and I compete, but it's also somewhere I can relax and have an awesome time,” Mahomes said. He has his dad to thank for getting him involved, too.
He Was Robbed as a Rookie
And we mean literally robbed. In 2017 Mahomes — who had just been drafted to the Kansas City Chiefs — and three other people were allegedly robbed at gunpoint after leaving a baseball game in Texas. “I can't really get into any of the details, but I’m just glad me and my friends are safe and the cops got the suspects,” Mahomes said of the incident. The suspect later pleaded guilty to the charges.
His name was Michael Pinkerton, and he admitted to three charges of aggravated robbery in court. A plea deal was then struck, with Pinkerton getting sentenced to 12 years in prison.
He Really Does Like Ketchup. A Lot
In 2018 ESPN was trying to discover the secret to Mahomes’ incredible arm — and happened upon a few unknown Mahomes facts along the way. The first was that he loves ketchup. He loves it so much that he even used to get bottles of the sauce for his birthdays. And apparently, Mahomes thought the one drawback to being famous was that he couldn’t ask for ketchup on his steak in restaurants for fear of being called out.
He’ll even put ketchup on his mac ’n’ cheese! Of course, he ended up landing a sponsorship deal with Hunt’s, so it all worked out. Although he did once say his favorite ketchup came from Whataburger.
He Proposed to His Wife at the Super Bowl Ring Ceremony
In 2020 Mahomes picked up his first Super Bowl ring on September 1 — and then he proposed to his longtime partner, Brittany. He had a different ring for this purpose, of course! Mahomes apparently had the Chiefs’ stadium sealed off from the public and the field adorned with roses. A sign reading, “Will you marry me?” helped to bring it all home. The pair married 18 months later.
The wedding was slightly delayed because Brittany was pregnant with their first child. And as it turned out, the one-year-old Sterling got to be a flower girl on her parents’ big day.
Mahomes Says a Prayer Before Every Game
Mahomes is on the record about his faith. He is a Christian and has described his faith as “huge” in his life. But did you know he brings his love of God to the playing field? “Before every game, I walk the field and I do a prayer at the goalpost,” Mahomes said in a Fellowship of Christian Athletes video in 2020. “I just thank God for those opportunities, and I thank God for letting me be on a stage where I can glorify Him.”
He continued, “The biggest thing that I pray for is that whatever happens, win or lose, success or failure, that I’m glorifying Him.”
Mahomes Brought Whataburger to Kansas City
Wouldn’t you know it? Mahomes was key to bringing Whataburger to the Sunflower State. “I’ve always ate Whataburger since I was a little kid,” he told NBC Sports in 2021. “And then when I got older, I’d babysit my brother, and there was a Whataburger literally down the street. And we would always grab that and kind of have that while my mom was working.” Mahomes later joined the KMO Burger investor group.
“I love Kansas City and I love Whataburger,” Mahomes said in 2021. “I’m excited to help bring a gift from my first home to my second home.”
He Has a Shoe Room in His House
Mahomes loves shoes. And we mean, he loves shoes. The man had an actual shoe room built into his home! He told website The Bleacher Report that he’d wanted a shoe room “for his whole, entire life” and was so happy he finally got one. It’s said he has about 180 pairs of shoes stored on its shelves. “I’ve always loved changing the shoes with what I’m wearing, ’cos I feel like it’s the final touch,” he said.
“Whenever guys come over, I can be, like, ‘Let’s go look at my shoe room,’” he continued. “That’s the first thing I’m gonna say every single time.”
His 15 and the Mahomies Foundation Aims to Give Back to the Community
In 2019 Mahomes set up the 15 and the Mahomies Foundation with the goal of “improving the lives of children.” Its website states, “The foundation supports initiatives that focus on health, wellness, communities in need of resources, and other charitable causes.” The organization hosts a gala every year where deserving charities get checks for $15,015.15. Auctions are also held, with the monies raised getting earmarked to be given to good causes.
In 2022 Mahomes announced on Twitter, “Kansas City shows up big every year... Over $400,000 in grants were awarded last night to over 25 charities in KC.”
He “broke the “Madden Curse”
There is a myth among football fans that any player who features on the cover of the EA Sports video game Madden NFL will go on to have a terrible season. For instance, Rob Gronkowski was the cover star of Madden NFL 17 and then missed much of the season — and the Super Bowl — through injury. But after Mahomes got the cover of Madden NFL 20, he went on to lead the Chiefs to Super Bowl victory with an MVP-winning performance.
Mahomes, of course, took it all in his stride. “I don’t think that is much of a big deal at all,” he told USA Today. “You just go out there and your dream is to be on the cover of Madden.”
He Likes Video Games — But He Has to Be Strict With Them
In 2020 when Mahomes spoke to GQ, the magazine gave a rundown of his typical day in the off-season. It included the usual things you’d expect from a top-level athlete — a workout routine, supplements, healthy food — but he also made some time to play video games. But he had a strict time limit of just two hours, because he didn’t “want to get lost in playing video games all day.”
He’s seemingly so strict with himself about this issue that he won’t pick up a video game controller during the NFL season at all. Unless maybe he’s promoting the latest Madden!
He’s a Beast on the Peloton
If you ever wanted to know what it’s like to Peloton against a pro footballer, it could be worth seeking out Mahomes. He adopts the screen name 2PM — as in Patrick Mahomes II — and he takes his workout time seriously. “I’m so damn competitive that I kill myself,” he told GQ. “I see the leaderboard, and I see that, like, Brian from North Carolina is catching me, and I’m like, ‘There’s no way.’”
He doesn’t always try to reach the top of the leaderboard, though. When he opts for a solo ride, he’ll choose a scenic route and pedal off into a sunset.
You Don’t Want to Play Mahomes at Beer Pong
Post Malone considers himself a “competitive beer pong player.” So when Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce came to his show, Malone naturally challenged them to a game. This proved to be a big mistake. Mahomes said his beer pong ability was good, but Kelce told GQ, “I don't know if I've been that hot on the pong table ever in my life.” It didn’t end well for Malone.
The rapper made a bet with the pair that he’d get their autographs tattooed onto his body if he lost another game to them. And guess what? Malone had to get those tattoos.
He’s a Dog Person
Mahomes has two dogs, Silver and Steel. Those dogs have become such a mainstay of the Mahomes household that they actually have 213,000 followers on their own Instagram page. It’s undoubtedly the love that Mahomes has for his pups that has endeared them to fans’ hearts. “Me and my dog Steel are exactly the same person, except he’s a dog,” Mahomes once said, perhaps a little weirdly, on Instagram Live.
Fun fact: Steel is named after the Pittsburgh Steelers. Brittany had been a fan of the Steelers as a kid, and she was the one to pick out the dog’s name!
He’s a Rihanna Fan
Going into Super Bowl LVII, Mahomes revealed that not all of his loved ones were going to be there for the game. After all, Rihanna was playing the halftime show. “She’s going to crush it at halftime,” Mahomes said in a press conference. “I have family members that I think are more excited about the halftime show than they are about the game.” And in another life, Mahomes may have counted himself among that number.
When asked what his favorite song was, Mahomes said it was Rihanna’s “Umbrella.” He may not have been 100 percent serious, but let’s face it, the song is a total banger.
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que Is a Favorite of Mahomes’
In 2020 when Mahomes appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, the host asked him about the legendary Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que and its Z-man sandwich. And it’s fair to say that Mahomes is a fan! “I get it Postmated to me,” Mahomes said. “I get it probably once every two weeks.” He later described it as “pretty amazing.” And when you see what’s inside this thing, it’s not hard to understand why.
Joe's Kansas City Bar-B-Que describes the Z-man sandwich as, “Slow-smoked beef brisket, smoked provolone cheese, topped with two crispy onion rings, on a toasted Kaiser roll.” Mmm.
When He’s Not Watching Game Film, He Does Watch Regular TV
Part of Mahomes' football process is analyzing games — but it’s not all work and no play in the Mahomes house. “I just kind of find things on Netflix, and kind of buzz those things,” he told 610 Sports Radio. “I was on the Ted Lasso thing these last few weeks and finally finished that. I kind of just buzz through the new shows that are more lighthearted.” He also had a couple of perennial favorites.
He told the radio show hosts that he “always [goes] back to Law & Order and Criminal Minds and stuff like that if [he] just wants the TV on.”
He Takes Video Games as Seriously as His Football
Mahomes has been a fan of the Call of Duty games for a long time, in fact. “I really started getting into it when the Black Ops series started coming out when I was in high school,” he told USA Today in 2019. “I really remember grinding in high school with my friends playing for hours and hours really getting into the game, and I’ve actually played ever since then.”
And it won’t surprise you to learn that he is, in his own words, “an aggressive player.” “I like to run and slide around and always be in the action,” he said.
He’s Not Given up on Baseball
Mahomes continues to prove his love for baseball and Kansas City by becoming part-owner of the Kansas City Royals. “I’m honored to become a part owner of the Kansas City Royals,” said Mahomes in a statement. “I love this city and the people of this great town. This opportunity allows me to deepen my roots in this community, which is something I’m excited to do.”
It was welcome news for the Royals’ majority owner John Sherman. “Consistent with the entirety of our ownership group, [Mahomes] has a deep commitment to Kansas City and a real passion for the game of baseball,” he said.
He Might Have Some Pickleball in His Future
Forbes magazine reported at the end of 2022 that Mahomes and tennis star Naomi Osaka were about to invest in a Major League Pickleball team. The sport is up and coming, with Major League Pickleball set to grow to 24 teams in 2023. It seems the league is a major draw for athletes, too. Former New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees is in, the NBA’s Draymond Green and Kevin Love are in — and so is Tom Brady.
Just to be clear, this is for a Major League Pickleball team — not one of the other pickleball leagues. You know, such as the Professional Pickleball Association and the Association of Pickleball Professionals.
He’s a Soccer Fan
Mahomes isn’t done investing in sporting teams or Kansas City. In January 2023 the National Women’s Soccer League club the Kansas City Current announced that Mahomes had joined its ownership team. This is perhaps his least surprising investment — as his wife is already a part-owner. “We are so thrilled to make this a family affair and have Patrick join as an owner,” Brittany said in a statement.
“He has been a huge supporter behind the scenes,” she continued. “His passion for the Current is undeniable, and I am glad that he will be with us as we continue on our journey."
Mahomes Is on Watch Watch
We know Mahomes likes his sneakers, but his love of watches seems to be just as strong. GQ seemingly has its eyes on his wrist, too, as it had a rundown of Mahomes’ watch game at the beginning of 2023. So far, the magazine said, Mahomes has displayed a Rolex GMT-Master II, a Rolex “Rainbow” Daytona, a Rolex Yacht-Master 40, and a Yacht-Master II. And yes, that is a lot of money spent on watches!
The Rolex GMT-Master II, for example, will set you back a tidy $16,500. But then Mahomes has signed one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history, so we think he can afford it.
He Recently Celebrated a Year of Marriage
On March 13, 2023, Patrick and Brittany Mahomes took to Instagram to celebrate their first year as husband and wife. Mahomes kept it simple with a couple of pictures and a straightforward caption. But Brittany was a little more effusive. “One of the best weeks of my life, marrying your best friend it’s one of the greatest things you could do!” Brittany said. “Nothing beats doing life with you and these beautiful kiddos of ours!”
Their whole wedding season was a grand affair. Brittany went to Miami for the bachelorette party, while Mahomes took his crew to Las Vegas for the bachelor party. Then the pair finally got married in Hawaii.