37 Reasons Why Patrick Mahomes Is the $500 Million Man

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has become one of the most influential people in the world.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one of the biggest stars in all of professional sports. And he’s only 27.

He also makes $1.60 a second, $96 a minute, $5,742 an hour and $137,808 a day. Not bad for a quarterback who entered his freshman season at Texas Tech as the backup to Davis Webb.

But Mahomes is more than just a $500 million NFL quarterback. He has become one of the most influential people in the world.

1. He’s in Good Company

Patrick Mahomes has the second-biggest contract in professional sports history. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

His 10-year, $503 million contract is the largest contract in NFL history. Only soccer legend Lionel Messi, who signed a four-year, $673.9 million deal with FC Barcelona in 2017, has a bigger contract in sports history. That’s some impressive company.

2. Big Numbers

Patrick Mahomes throws a touchdown pass against the San Francisco 49ers

This is Patrick Mahomes’ world. We just live in it. Ed Zurga / AP Photo

Patrick Mahomes got his contract extension in July 2020 after signing a four-year, $16.4 million contract as a rookie in 2017. The young gunslinger passed for 284 yards and no touchdowns in his first NFL season. In the five seasons after that, Mahomes has passed for 23,957 yards and 192 touchdowns.

3. Good Genes Go a Long Way

Patrick Mahomes as a baby with father Pat Mahomes

Ever seen someone carry around $500 million dollars? tanmanbbfan / Twitter

His father, Pat Mahomes Sr., was a Major League Baseball pitcher for 11 seasons. Pat Mahomes played for six MLB teams and also spent several seasons playing in Japan. He played in the minor leagues for five seasons before settling his family in his home state of Texas.

4. He Grew Up Around Pro Athletes

Mike Hampton and Patrick Mahomes warming up

New York Mets pitcher Mike Hampton and one of his teammate’s sons track down fly balls at Shea Stadium. Oh wait, being told that’s future NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes. Kathy Willens / AP Photo

Mahomes spent his childhood playing in MLB dugouts and around his father’s teammates. One of his earliest impressions of what it took to be an elite athlete was when his father played for the Texas Rangers and he got to spend time around future MVP Alex Rodriguez.

5. Three-Sport Star in High School

Patrick Mahomes was flexing at Whitehouse High School

Was this the first Patrick Mahomes flex caught on camera? texashsfootball / Twitter

Mahomes was a three-sport star in football, basketball and baseball at Whitehouse High School in Whitehouse, Texas. In baseball, he was a top pitching prospect in the 2014 MLB draft but didn’t get taken until the 37th round by the Detroit Tigers because of his commitment to football.

6. Mahomes Could Throw Over 90 MPH

Patrick Mahomes playing baseball at Texas Tech

Patrick Mahomes was a pitcher for a short time at Texas Tech. BHollandSports / Twitter

Mahomes reportedly could throw 93 miles an hour with his fastball and had one college pitching appearance at Texas Tech. As a freshman, Mahomes pitched an inning against Northern Illinois in 2015. It didn’t go well. He walked two, hit a batter, and finished his college pitching career with a 99.00 ERA. He picked the right sport.

7. Making History at Texas Tech

Patrick Mahomes set an NCAA single-game record with 819 yards of total offense in 2016. LM Otero / AP Photo

At Texas Tech, Mahomes set several NCAA passing records. Most notably, in 2016, he set the NCAA record for single-game total offense with 819 yards in a 66-59 loss to Oklahoma and tied the NCAA record with 734 passing yards. The winning quarterback in that game? Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield.

8. Ready for the Show

Patrick Mahomes runs a 40 at the NFL combine

Texas Tech quarterback Patrick Mahomes left college with one year of eligibility remaining. David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Mahomes left Texas Tech with one year of eligibility remaining to enter the 2017 NFL draft, where he was originally projected as a first or second-round pick. At the NFL combine, he tied the record for fastest pass ever recorded with his passes clocked at 60 miles per hour and solidified his first-round projection.

9. Welcome to the NFL

Patrick Mahomes chats with NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner

That’s two Hall of Fame quarterbacks sitting next to each other. Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Mahomes was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, but he wasn’t even the first quarterback selected. The Chicago Bears selected Mitch Trubisky at No. 2 overall, which is a pick that could haunt the franchise for the next generation.

10. Starting as a Backup With the Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes practices as a Chiefs rookie in 2017

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was just a baby-faced rookie in 2017. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Mahomes played behind veteran quarterback Alex Smith as a rookie in 2017 on the Kansas City Chiefs. Smith made a big impression with Mahomes when he reached out to him on draft day after he was selected to welcome him to the team.

11. Alex Smith Was His Mentor

Alex Smith talks to Patrick Mahomes during a 2017 game

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith served as a mentor to Patrick Mahomes his rookie year. Ed Zurga / AP Photo

The relationship between Smith and Mahomes was never contentious, even though it was clear Mahomes was selected to eventually be Smith’s replacement. Years later, Mahomes still looks at Smith as one of his mentors.

12. The Job Is Yours, Kid

Patrick Mahomes throws against the Los Angeles Chargers

The Chiefs made Patrick Mahomes their starting quarterback in 2018. Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Mahomes was named the Chiefs starting quarterback in 2018 after Smith was traded to the Washington Football Team. Mahomes’ first career touchdown pass was a 58-yard strike to Tyreek Hill in a 38-28 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the season opener.

13. Making Big Moves in the NFL

Patrick Mahomes celebrates with Chiefs fans

An athlete hasn’t been this popular in Kansas City since George Brett. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Mahomes was named NFL Most Valuable Player in his first year as a starter in 2018, as well as being named to the Pro Bowl and NFL All-Pro. He was the first NFL MVP in franchise history for the Chiefs.

14. Move Over, Peyton Manning

Patrick Mahomes comes out onto the field at Arrowhead Stadium

Patrick Mahomes has played in three AFC championship games as a starter. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Mahomes was only the second quarterback in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns in a single season. The other player to accomplish the feat was Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning in 2013.

15. A New Era in Kansas City

Tom Brady and Patriots play in AFC championship game

The 2019 AFC championship game would be the last for Tom Brady with the New England Patriots. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

The Chiefs hosted the first AFC championship game in Arrowhead Stadium history following the 2018 season. They lost to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in overtime, 37-31, and Brady sought out Mahomes for a one-on-one conversation afterward outside the Kansas City locker room.

16. A True Gamer

Patrick Mahomes throws in the snow against the Denver Broncos

It doesn’t matter what the weather is like. All Patrick Mahomes does is win. Reed Hoffmann / AP Photo

Playing with a target, the Chiefs and Mahomes battled adversity all season in 2019. Mahomes missed two games because of an injured patella tendon, even though the injury was originally scheduled to keep him out for four weeks.

17. Follow the Leader

Patrick Mahomes rallies Chiefs to playoff win

The Kansas City Chiefs trailed the Houston Texans 24-0 in the AFC Playoff opener following the 2019 season. Elise Amendola / AP Photo

Mahomes rallied the Chiefs from a 24-0 deficit against the Houston Texans in their AFC playoff opener, leading the team with 41 unanswered points as part of a 51-7 run on the way to a 51-31 victory. The Texans still haven’t recovered from the loss.

18. Never Say Die

Patrick Mahomes holds up the Lamar Hunt Trophy. How ironic. Colin E. Braley / AP Photo

Mahomes rallied the Chiefs to a 35-24 win over the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Championship Game. Trailing 17-7, Mahomes sparked the comeback with a thrilling, 27-yard touchdown run.

19. The Face of the Franchise

Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs' franchise player

This is what a franchise player looks like. Ed Zurga / AP Photo

Mahomes comes from a biracial background as the son of a Black father and white mother. Born in Tyler, Texas (population: 100,000), Mahomes said he did not experience less privilege because of his race and did not speak much on race issues in his first three seasons in the NFL.

20. He Is a Role Model

Patrick Mahomes throws against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV

Patrick Mahomes has great poise and pocket presence. Doug Benc / AP Photo

But Mahomes identifies as a Black quarterback and recognized the importance of being the seventh Black starting quarterback to play in a Super Bowl. “The best thing about it is you’re showing kids that no matter where you grow up, what race you are, that you can achieve your dream,” Mahomes said before the big game in 2020, according to The Undefeated. “For me, being a black quarterback — having a black dad and a white mom — it just shows that it doesn’t matter where you come from.”

21. Super Man

Patrick Mahomes runs with the ball in the Super Bowl

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback can kill teams as a dropback passer or with his legs. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Trailing the San Francisco 49ers 20-10 in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIV, Mahomes orchestrated his third consecutive postseason rally with a 21-0 run to close out the game.

22. Just Call Him ‘Showtime’

It’s Showtime. John Bazemore / AP Photo

That’s why they call Mahomes “Showtime.” It’s one of many nicknames the young star has. Others include “Magic Man,” “The Musician,” “Fatrick,” “The Gunslinger” and “Mahomeboy.” And he added one more to the list: “Champ.”

23. Age Is Just a Number

Patrick Mahomes screams and flexes in Super Bowl LIV

When you see Patrick Mahomes flex like this, it’s bad news for your team. Wilfredo Lee / AP Photo

Mahomes was the youngest quarterback in NFL history to be named Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. At 24 years and 138 days old, he also became the youngest player in NFL history to win NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP honors, just beating out Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith.

24. Glory Days Are Here Again

Kansas City Chiefs celebrate after winning Super Bowl LIV

Ain’t nothing like a Super Bowl party. David J. Phillip, File / AP Photo

It was the first Super Bowl appearance and win for the Chiefs in 50 years, dating back to Super Bowl IV. Before Mahomes joined the team, they’d only made one appearance in the AFC championship game, with Joe Montana as their quarterback in 1993.

25. Not Your Average MVP

Patrick Mahomes got the Super Bowl MVP treatment at Disney World. John Raoux / AP Photo

Like most Super Bowl MVPs, Mahomes made the trip to Disney World the day after the Super Bowl. In typical Mahomes fashion, he brought 17 Make-A-Wish kids with him to Orlando who’d also attended the Super Bowl and spent the day with them.

26. Let the Party Begin

Kansas City brought out almost 1 million fans for its Super Bowl parade. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

Almost 1 million fans came out to see the Kansas City Chiefs in their Super Bowl parade. It was the second pro sports championship parade for Kansas City in four years following the Kansas City Royals winning the World Series in 2016.

27. A Real-Life Love Story

Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews celebrate Super Bowl win

Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany Matthews, were high school sweethearts. Patrick Semansky / AP Photo

Mahomes married his high school sweetheart, Brittany Matthews, in March 2022 after getting engaged in September 2020, in a suite at Arrowhead Stadium on the day he received his Super Bowl ring. Matthews is a former professional soccer player who played collegiately for the University of Texas.

28. Hey, Dad

Patrick Mahomes and wife Brittany Matthews

Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Matthews shared the baby news on social media. kt_marieee13 / Twitter

Matthews announced she was pregnant and Mahomes was going to be a #GirlDad soon after their engagement. The couple announced the pregnancy on their Instagram accounts. Their first child, a girl, was born in February 2021 and named Sterling Skye Mahomes. Their second child, a boy, was born in November 2022 and named Patrick “Bronze” Lavon Mahomes III.

29. The Baseball Owner

Patrick Mahomes throws at the first pitch at a Royals game

Patrick Mahomes went from the son of an MLB player to owning part of an MLB team. jsleezer / Twitter

Mahomes bought a minority ownership stake in the Kansas City Royals with part of his new fortune, which also includes massive philanthropic efforts. Mahomes was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in 2020 thanks to his commitment to the social justice movement.

30. Speaking Out Against Injustice

Patrick Mahomes is not your typical NFL superstar. Charlie Neibergall / AP Photo

Mahomes has used his superstar status to speak out against injustices. After George Floyd’s death in June 2020, Mahomes was among a group of Black NFL stars who released a powerful video pushing owners and the league to condemn racism and acknowledge that “Black Lives Matter.”

31. Everybody Respects Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL. Ed Zurga / AP Photo

That’s why everybody respects Mahomes, who turned 27 on Sept. 17, 2022. “Let me tell you something … that [Mahomes’ involvement in social justice issues] was huge,” Doug Williams told The Undefeated. “We’re not talking about a 15-year veteran. We’re talking about a young man who’s not even 25. … It says a lot that he wanted to be involved in pushing for that change. It was very powerful.” Williams was the first Black quarterback to start in a Super Bowl and be named game MVP.

32. He Makes an Impact Off the Field

Patrick Mahomes looks downfield in the 2020 regular season

If you see Patrick Mahomes start to move like this, your team is in trouble. Charlie Riedel / AP Photo

The Chiefs went 14-2 in 2020 and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs. Off the field, Mahomes and teammate Tyrann Mathieu were key figures in sponsoring a massive voter registration drive ahead of the 2020 United States presidential election.

33. Bring on the GOAT

Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady shake hands after their 2020 regular-season game. Jason Behnken / AP Photo

The Chiefs beat Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in a late-season matchup that proved to be a Super Bowl preview. To put it in context, Mahomes was in kindergarten when Brady won his first Super Bowl with the Patriots.

34. Don’t Mess With Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is helped off the field against the Cleveland Browns

Patrick Mahomes’ head hit the turf hard against the Cleveland Browns in the 2021 playoffs. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Mahomes suffered a concussion in the Chiefs’ playoff opener against the Cleveland Browns in 2021. Browns linebacker Mack Wilson received death threats for being the player who put the clean hit on Mahomes that led to the concussion.

35. Protect the Investment

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce after the 2021 AFC championship game

Patrick Mahomes returned to play in the 2021 AFC championship game after suffering a concussion one week earlier. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Mahomes returned heroically to lead the Chiefs to a win over the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game. The quick return raises big questions about the NFL’s supposed concussion protocol, but when this much money is on the line, rules sometimes go out the window in the NFL.

36. Passing the Torch

Is this the greatest quarterback Zoom call of all time? NFL / AP Photo

Mahomes faced Tom Brady in Super Bowl LV in one of the most anticipated matchups in NFL history. Mahomes, then 25, and the 43-year-old Brady both were effusive in their praise of each other headed into the big game, with their 18-year age difference being a hot topic of discussion.

37. Next Stop, Canton

Patrick Mahomes owned six NFL records at 25 years old. Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Mahomes and the Chiefs lost the Super Bowl to the Buccaneers, but Mahomes still is a highlight machine. He owned six NFL records after just four seasons in the NFL. How many more records could he get and how long could he play? And how early in a player’s career can we begin to say they look like a surefire Hall of Famer? They’re all valid questions with Patrick Mahomes, who just made $500 in the time it took you to read this story.