Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs came up short in the Super Bowl earlier this year. But at the same time, last season, they were on top of the world, celebrating back-to-back titles after beating the 49ers at Allegiant Stadium. That triumph could have played out much differently, though, as the two-time MVP nearly lost focus in the week leading up to the big game. The reason? His father, Pat Mahomes Sr.
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Just days before the Super Bowl, police arrested the former MLB pitcher on a DWI charge, his third such offense. The incident quickly drew media attention, and while Patrick tried to prepare for the biggest game of the year, he found himself fielding questions about his father’s arrest.
Mahomes later admitted that the situation “hurt him.” At the same time, it had a deep effect on Mahomes Sr. as well, giving him space to reflect and confront the path he was on.
“It became a story, and so, I had to answer questions about it. I think just knowing that it hurt me woke him up to know that, like, you can’t keep doing the same things,”Mahomes said.
Former Steelers safety and Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark weighed in on Mahomes’ comments during an episode of ‘The Pivot’ podcast. Clark empathized with the three-time Super Bowl winner, praising him for showing his human side. From the outside, people tend to focus only on Mahomes’ accomplishments and accolades, but as Clark pointed out, he’s still human, and the same struggles that affect everyday people affect him as well.
For Mahomes, the challenge went beyond dealing with his father’s arrest and the media scrutiny that followed. He also had to shoulder the responsibility of leading his team into the biggest game of the year while balancing his roles as a husband and father. That mental and emotional weight can take a real toll on any athlete.
“It also highlights the human factor of players. We pay attention to Patrick Mahomes, his feats, and accolades as a player, but he is a human. He is a human who, during that time, had to deal with the incident his father was involved with, while preparing to play this game, while quarterbacking one of the best teams in football, and while also having to lead his family. When you become the patriarch, everything is pointed towards you. So they are asking you how does this gets fixed.”
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Clark also criticized the media for consistently highlighting the negative while ignoring the positive. In Pat Mahomes Sr.’s case, his DWI arrest quickly became headline news, but little attention was given to the role he played as a father and former athlete in shaping Patrick into the player and man he is today.
The bigger takeaway, Clark suggested, is that none of us can choose our families or control their actions. What we can control is how we respond. When one family member rises to the top and carries the weight of elevating everyone else, the rest must also step up by making smarter choices and contributing in ways that reflect well on the family.
As for Pat Mahomes Sr., he had to plead guilty to a charge of Driving While Intoxicated 3rd or More. He agreed to a sentence of five years’ probation with “intense” supervision for the first year.
