Adam Sandler might be best known for his comedic genius, but beneath the humor lies a genuine passion for sports. From basketball and baseball to football, Sandler played it all in his younger days. So, when he reminisced about his athletic past on New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs tight end couldn’t help but draw a parallel between Sandler and Patrick Mahomes.
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Sandler was actually a decent player in every sport — until puberty hit. Unfortunately for the comedy legend, his teenage years weren’t kind to him—as his peers grew taller, stronger, and more muscular, he remained the same, becoming less noticeable on the field. Sandler simply couldn’t catch up.
“When I played Babe Ruth baseball, I went from being an All-Star in Little League to, ‘I think Adam’s on that team… I don’t know.’ I dropped from batting second or third to sixth, seventh, or maybe even deeper. The older I got, the worse I got,” he recalled.
However, Travis tried to cheer his guest up by reminding him of his ability to be a visionary on the court. For those unfamiliar, Adam Sandler has been open about playing pickup basketball multiple times a week.
There are numerous clips on the internet where he can be seen balling on the streets of NYC. By his own admission, his backdoor passes are his biggest asset as a hooper.
For Travis Kelce, seeing Sandler’s court vision and play reminds him of his teammate Patrick Mahomes, who was a mainstay in his High School’s varsity basketball team.
“But you were still on the courts, man… your skills on the court are iconic. You’re a facilitator, seeing things before they happen. You remind me of a guy like Patrick Mahomes and how his game is on the court,” said the Chiefs tight end.
Seeing Travis Kelce compare Patrick Mahomes to Adam Sandler is quite odd. Sure, they weren’t talking about football, but Mahomes was a certified baller back in the day, averaging 19.9 points over 27 games in his basketball career. Can we say the same about Sandler? Debatable, considering there are no tangible stats to look back on. If he were really that good, maybe we would.
Where the duo can be likened, however, is in the fact that they were both three-sport athletes. Like Sandler, Mahomes excelled in baseball, basketball, and football. In fact, he not only played on his school’s varsity baseball team but also played the same position as his father, Pat (former MLB player) — a pitcher.
Hilariously enough, football was Mahomes’ third favorite sport growing up, but it all changed in the senior year of High School. Mahomes back then decided to commit himself to the gridiron, and the rest, as they say, is history!
