Patrick Mahomes has been to the AFC Championship in each of his seven years as an NFL starter. In five of those years, his Kansas City Chiefs advanced to the Super Bowl, winning three of them. In 2024, they were aiming for the first threepeat of the Super Bowl era but were thwarted by the Philadelphia Eagles, who dominated them in a 40-22 win.
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When Mahomes and company first found success, everyone in the league loved them. The fans believed the Chiefs had the best chance of stopping Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. But unfortunately, they’ve taken a page out of The Dark Knight’s book. Instead of dying as the hero, they’ve lived long enough to become the villain.
While chatting about the Chiefs and the fatigue that fans across the league have been feeling about their success, WWE star Seth Rollins made an interesting comparison. Rollins said that K.C.’s switch from hero to villain in the minds of NFL fans is reminiscent of the trajectory his comrade John Cena has had in the WWE ring.
“The Chiefs have had a big heel turn over the past few years. They were America’s sweethearts forever and now everybody hates them…” he added.
“John Cena is the perfect example of that, he’s a guy who recently turned heel for the first time in a long time… He would win so much, they would just boo him.”
John Cena is one of the biggest stars in the history of pro wrestling. However, he was always the hero, winning 13 WWE Championships during his career. He was such a big star that he became one of the few wrestlers to make a successful acting crossover.
Like with the Chiefs, Cena’s constant winning eventually turned the public against him. In response to that, Cena turned heel recently, becoming the villain he used to battle so often.
For those who don’t know, “turning heel” in wrestling refers to when a wrestler changes their persona to become the antagonist or villain of the situation. Cena announced himself as a new heel with a big speech at his last WWE appearance. “You don’t get a new look, because you dress like me, you idiots. You don’t get new music, that is my voice on my song, your time is finally up and my time is now!” he started.
“For 25 years, I’ve been a victim of an abusive relationship. All you do is be hurtful, and bully me into being your puppet, and expecting me to do it with a smile on my face. No more! I am not a babyface. I am not a heel. I am a human being. You have been awful to me.”
With all the success they’ve already had, it will be hard for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to shake off their “heel” persona at this point. All they can do now is return to the winning ways that made them villains in the first place. They’ve got the 31st overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft and the 23rd-most salary cap space (just under $16 million) in the league to turn things around in 2025.
