Even though he’s already managed to become a five-time AFC champion and three-time Super Bowl champion in just seven years as a starter, the topic of conversation surrounding Patrick Mahomes currently revolves around the star quarterback’s lack of muscle definition. After a Kansas City sports radio host grilled Mahomes in early July about his ‘Dad Bod’ look and physique, fans and analysts alike are now discussing the ideal muscle-to-fat ratios for quarterbacks.
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As ridiculous as it may sound, the topic is very much real, and the two hosts of the Nightcap podcast, NFL legends Shannon Sharpe and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, have an opinion on it. According to the former Denver Bronco, Mahomes may be the ideal prototype for today’s game.
“I want my quarterback to look just like Patrick Mahomes,” Sharpe proclaimed before alluding to the fact that several of the best quarterbacks in NFL history do not look particularly good with their shirts off.
“I want my quarterback to look, with his shirt off, look like Tom Brady, look like Peyton Manning. That’s what I want my quarterback to look like. I don’t want no muscles, because I want him to be able to twist. I don’t want him straining no obliques.”
When Ocho tried to clarify that, “So, you want your quarterback to have a Dad Bod?” Sharpe promptly stated, “Yes. Grandad if possible!”
The radio host’s comments also caught the attention of Mahomes’ trainer, Bobby Stroupe, who fired back in a since-deleted series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, where he exclaimed that “Not everybody quits working out at the age of 30, Ben.”
In a previous interview with People Magazine, Stroupe, when asked about Mahomes’ softer appearance, noted that “…there’s just not a lot of quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame that have a six-pack and there’s a reason for that.”
According to Stroupe, an “NFL quarterback should have at least 14% body fat” should they hope to stand a chance of enduring multiple hits in the pocket. “It’s not from an unhealthy standpoint, but from a force absorption standpoint. You have to be able to make contact.”
Given the unprecedented quality of Mahomes’ resume at this point in his career, it’s safe to say that he should stick with his current regimen and routines. His abs may not be clearly defined, and his sides may be a bit doughy, but if a 5-2 record in conference championship games tells us anything, it’s that he is, in fact, built to win.
The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off of one of the most lopsided losses in Super Bowl history, so there’s ample room for criticism right now, but the disgraced radio host’s comments remind us that there is a right way and a wrong way to offer up criticisms.
When it comes to professional athletes, critique their play, their lack of preparation, the things that they can control, not the meaningless intangibles that they can’t control.
