Chiefs QB Mahomes treated like rock star everywhere he goes
Patrick Mahomes spent this past offseason riding horses through the surf and throwing passes on the beach, swapping jokes with Jimmy Kimmel and hob-knobbing with celebrities on the red carpet.
He’s the cover boy for this year’s Madden video game. The Texas Tech diehard who followed his alma mater all the way to the Final Four. The sports fan that suddenly pops up at the Stanley Cup Final, then makes sure to congratulate the St. Louis Blues on his uber-popular social media channels.
Mahomes also is the face of the Kansas City Chiefs, the reigning NFL MVP and without question the biggest star to land in the City of Fountains since George Brett was playing third base for the Royals.
“He’s a rock star,” Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce said.
One that was largely undiscovered just a year ago.
Mahomes was anointed the starter last offseason, when the Chiefs shipped Alex Smith to the Redskins, but his arrival at training camp came with plenty of question marks: Could his big arm buck the trend of Red Raider quarterbacks flaming out in the NFL? Could he run coach Andy Reid’s complex offense? Could he live up to the expectations that come with being a first-round draft pick?
He answered all those questions in the season opener against the Chargers. In the awkward setting of a soccer stadium in Los Angeles, the mop-haired Mahomes threw four touchdown passes without a pick.
He threw six touchdown passes the next week in Pittsburgh. Three more against San Francisco. And he led the Chiefs to a 5-0 start before a road loss to New England, only to rebound with four more wins.
Mahomes wound up shattering the franchise records for completions (383), yards passing (5,047) and touchdown passes (50), along with more obscure metrics such as quarterback rating.
He finally led the Chiefs to a home playoff win, their first in nearly two decades, and nearly beat the Patriots in the AFC title game. The teams headed to overtime tied 31-all, the Patriots won the coin toss and marched downfield for the winning touchdown, denying Mahomes a chance with the ball.
“Every win and every loss you use going into the next season,” Mahomes said. “Obviously, we were super close to making the Super Bowl and we fell just short of that, but we’re going to keep progressing forward and keep learning from that game, learn from what we didn’t do as well.”
Mahomes signed a series of sponsorship and endorsement deals, walked the red carpet at the ESPY Awards, and left Kimmel laughing on his show just a few weeks ago.
That nickname of “Showtime?” Sounds about perfect.
His magnetic personality and otherworldly talent also has had a big impact on the Chiefs.
“You look at the impact he’s had on our business, it’s multilayered,” Chiefs president Mark Donovan said. “He has benefited us in terms of a lot of our big partners are partners with Patrick.” EX-49ERS RB MORRIS RETURNING TO DALLAS >> The Dallas Cowboys are bringing back running back Alfred Morris with two-time rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott holding out of training camp while seeking a new contract.
Agent Michael Katz says Morris, a backup last season with the 49ers, agreed to terms, the third day of practices without Elliott. Morris was the replacement back for the Cowboys when Elliott was suspended for six games over domestic violence allegations two years ago.
Morris spent two seasons with the Cowboys, signing in 2016.