KC Wolf
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
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When a group of players responded to the NFL in the wake of the George Floyd murder with a video that got Roger Goodell’s attention, perhaps no voice was clearer than Patrick Mahomes‘.
Because star quarterbacks with Super Bowl MVPs have different opportunities to reach others than guys who are merely great players.
Mahomes told Peter King of NBC’s Football Morning in America that he hoped to expand on the projects he was involved with this offseason (which included working with LeBron James and other stars to fight voter suppression).
“Don’t let this moment be forgotten, what happened throughout this offseason,” he said. “Football’s obviously super-important but helping out the world is more important and we’re gonna try and do that every single day. I think the biggest thing for me to be a part of that video was that obviously I love football but I love trying to make the world a better place even more. I think growing up how I’ve grown up, and having a black dad and a white mom, I never was treated any differently. I feel like no one should be treated any differently, no matter where they come from.
“I know that with my platform that I have the ability to speak out and people will listen. People will at least listen to what I’m saying. They might not agree with everything that I’m saying but they’re gonna listen. I think having that platform . . . it’s my job and my duty to speak up.”
He also said he was not worried about alienating the subset of fans who might not agree with every stance he takes.
“I mean there’s gonna be people either way,” Mahomes said. “I’ve noticed that throughout my whole life and I’ve had a great perspective throughout my whole life of seeing my dad play in New York on the Mets. They’re writing bad things about him or people are booing him, and then knowing how to have thick skin and not listening to that, really just understanding what type of person and player that I am, knowing where my values are and how much I care about people more than I care about playing on Sundays.
“I’m going to go out there and be the best person that I am every single day. Hopefully I have the support of all the fans that have been with me since the beginning. If I don’t, then those fans weren’t true fans of Patrick Mahomes—they were just fans of what I did on the football field. I really respect the people that whether they have the same beliefs with me or not, they’re gonna support me for the person that I am every single day.”
With the way he’s played so far, and the contract that locked him into the Chiefs for the next 12 years, the stage is set for him to win even more fans. And to do even more off the field.