KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has forever changed Kansas City, the architect of a Super Bowl parade that strolled down Grand Boulevard.
But his reach stretches far beyond Kansas City.
Mahomes has been named one of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2020, joining celebrities, activists, political figures and the President.
“There is a lot more promise in Patrick Mahomes’ future than just on-field accolades,” said Yankees Hall of Fame shortstop Derek Jeter, who wrote on Time’s selection of Mahomes. “He already has started to build a legacy as one of the most impactful athletes of his generation, and I, for one, am excited to see what is next.”
What a year it’s been.
As the quarterback of the Super Bowl champions, sure.
But also as a recently turned 25-year-old with the city at his fingertips.
Mahomes led the Chiefs to their first NFL championship in 50 seasons, three straight comeback wins guiding their postseason fate. He became the youngest player in league history to stash both regular season and Super Bowl MVP honors and then was rewarded with the richest contract the NFL has ever seen.
On the field, his play spoke for itself.
Off it, his voice became louder than ever. Mahomes thrust himself into the center of the Black Lives Matter movement in the wake of George Floyd’s death, appearing in a video among other NFL stars that demanded the league office recognize social injustices and the systematic oppression of Black people. A day later, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell obliged.
“Enough is enough,” Mahomes said then. “We’ve got to do something about this. I’m blessed to have this platform. Why not use it?
“As I’ve gotten older, and I know I’m still young, I’ve learned a lot, and I think that was one of the things (I learned). I know I have this platform. I know everyone’s not going to agree with it, but I’m going to do my best to make the world a better place, and this is the right moment to do it.”
In actionable ways, Mahomes has taken part in voter registration causes, enlisting teammates’ support, including star safety Tyrann Mathieu. Partially as a result of that push, Arrowhead Stadium will be transformed into a voting location this November.
“What I’ve really appreciated the last couple of years is how engaged the leaders on our team are, and I’ll just take Patrick and Tyrann as examples,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “They’re very engaged. They want to make a difference. They want to do things that are going to make our country better — things that are going to help us get along as a country.”
And he’s just getting started — at least in Kansas City.
Mahomes signed a 10-year contract extension that will keep him here through at least 2031. The compensation isn’t too bad — he will be paid $503 million over those 10 seasons, the most lucrative contract in American professional sports.
Months after signing it, he stood inside Arrowhead Stadium with his teammates as they received Super Bowl LIV rings.
That evening, he presented his longtime girlfriend, Brittany Matthews with her own ring, getting engaged to his high school sweetheart.
What a year, indeed.
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