Patrick Mahomes Contrasts The Flaws We See In His Team And Family

LAS VEGAS – The picture so many of us have of Patrick Mahomes is that of a great NFL quarterback and prolific pitchman for various products, including insurance. It's an artificial view we get through a limited scope.

But despite whatever that picture reveals, we should not lose sight that, so far, Mahomes has been pretty much an unimpeachable figure.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 05: Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Mahomes Face Of Franchise And Family

Think of Mahomes and you must admit he comes with …

No major flaws in his game that merit loud criticism, which is often in contrast to teammates or the Kansas City Chiefs as a team.

No troubling holes in his character, which is often in contrast to the inadequacies of some family members.

The Chiefs quarterback personifies soundness professionally and apparently personally. He's like Derek Jeter or Michael Jordan in their primes.

As close to pristine as a human can get.

This week, at Super Bowl LVIII's media availabilities, Mahomes has already shown he is unshakable even when pressed about the uncomfortable.

Among the most uncomfortable issues he's dealing with now is the weekend arrest of his father, Patrick Mahomes Sr., who was booked on suspicion of driving while impaired after a traffic stop in Tyler, Texas.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 05: Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs stands on stage during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Patrick Mahomes Addresses Dad's Arrest

Mahomes Sr. hasn't had to defend himself on the matter publicly. But his son, facing a throng of reporters at the NFL's Opening Night event, was asked multiple questions about it. 

"He's doing good," Mahomes said of his father. 

But then the quarterback's instincts to protect his family seemingly kicked in, and he declined to elaborate on his father's third DUI arrest.

"It’s a family matter, so I’ll keep it to the family," Mahomes said. "That’s all I have to say."

Mahomes has been here before. His family put him in this kind of situation previously when his brother got into some public and unsightly situations.

Family Troubles Include Jackson Mahomes

Jackson Mahomes, 23, has sometimes acted like a child in public. He threw water on Ravens fans because they were allegedly saying things to him while he was on the sideline of a game. He was scolded by a local Kansas City restaurant for seeming entitled and complaining on social media that he wasn't seated right away on a busy evening.

And then there was the more serious stuff: He was booked in May 2023 on three counts of aggravated sexual battery and one count of battery in connection to an incident in which he allegedly forced a restaurant manager to kiss him while he touched her, after he pushed a waiter to move away from an area off limits to patrons.

Jackson's lawyers insisted their client had done nothing wrong. The charges were dropped in January due to a lack of cooperation from the alleged victims.

There have been moments amid those incidents that Mahomes had to answer for his brother as he was asked to answer for his dad on Monday. And every time, Mahomes has kept his cool in explaining and, in some cases, apologizing for the behavior.

"Obviously, it’s something we don’t want to necessarily do," he told reporters after the water spraying incident with the Ravens fans.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - FEBRUARY 05: (L-R) Patrick Mahomes, head coach Andy Reid, and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs walk across the field during Super Bowl LVIII Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium on February 05, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)

Mahomes Professionally, Personally Likable

Through it all, Mahomes has remained a likable dude.

After the Chiefs beat the Ravens in the AFC championship game, Mahomes spoke to his team in the victorious locker room and reminded them their season's mission had not yet been accomplished.

Mahomes was shirtless as he was doing this and it captured on video his, well, paunchy belly. His reaction to the video going viral hit the right notes:

Mahomes Defends Teammates

Mahomes has hit the right notes as a player and teammate as well. Often those notes are self-deprecating.

The Chiefs led the NFL in drops by their wide receivers in 2023. When Marquez Valdes-Scantling dropped a potential game winning bomb against the Eagles in November, Mahomes supported him.

He did this by taking the blame for the missed opportunity from the receiver's hands. (Maybe because Valdes-Scantling might have dropped that, too.)

"I could probably throw the ball a little bit shorter," Mahomes said. "He was that wide open."

When Kadarius Toney made the boneheaded mistake of lining up offside, costing the Chiefs a possible winning touchdown against the Buffalo Bills, Mahomes blamed … the officials.

BALTIMORE, MD - JANUARY 28: Patrick Mahomes #15 of the Kansas City Chiefs throws the ball during the AFC Championship NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on January 28, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)

Mahomes Takes Blame And Apologizes

The officials were correct on the call. But Mahomes attacked them from the sideline rather than blaming a teammate.

And later on he apologized to the officials while still having guarded the bond with his offending teammate.

"Obviously I care," Mahomes said, "so my emotions were shown on the football field, which they've been shown in a good way but obviously that wasn't a good way."

All of this serves a composite that we don't always see when Mahomes is selling insurance. Or serving up big plays.

He is the face of a franchise and a sporting family. 

And so far, it's a good look.