Patrick Mahomes achieved a goal that few American athletes have achieved – owning a piece of a professional sports team.
On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback announced for the first time his purchase of a piece of the Kansas City Royals from Major League Baseball, which was announced in late July. Specifically, Mahomes was asked whether he or teammate Travis Kelce – who is part of a group of investors looking to buy the New York Mets – first saw the business opportunity.
“I do not know who had the idea first,” Mahomes said with a laugh. ‘But it was something, of course I love baseball – I grew up in it [MLB] clubhouses and I love it all. ”
It has been a great year for Patrick Mahomes. Among his victories: a Super Bowl title, a contract extension valued at half a billion dollars and a property in the Kansas City Royals. (Photo by David Eulitt / Getty Images)
Shortly after the Royals began the process of buying the new controlling owner John Sherman last August, Mahomes said he knew he wanted to be a part of it.
“It has taken almost a year to get the language right and have the right timing with everything that is happening in the world,” Mahomes said. “But we were able to do it and they were able to get me involved and be part of something that will last a long time and be in Kansas City for a long time.”
What does long term mean? Mahomes has talked many times about building a legacy, both on and off the field. And when it comes to off-field efforts, he has already participated in the rare air of elite athletes who have been fortunate to own a piece of teams. That impressive list includes the likes of Aaron Rodgers (Milwaukee Bucks), LeBron James (Liverpool FC), Magic Johnson (LA Dodgers) and Mario Lemieux (Pittsburgh Penguins).
Given Mahomes’ youth at the time of his purchase (24 years old), not to mention the historic, half-billion expansion he has just signed with the Chiefs, one can only wonder if Mahomes also has his eyes on the track duplication instituted by Michael Jordan, who became a trailblazer by becoming the first NBA player to become the majority owner of a team.
“I do not know if I have thought about it, about the full ownership of a team,” Mahomes revealed Sunday.
That’s not exactly a “no.”
“I seem to be very interested in all sports and being a part of sports, even if – hopefully a long time from now – my sports days are over,” Mahomes said. ‘And I do not have that [figured out] whatever, where, that will be there.
‘But I want to be involved in sports for the rest of my life, because it gives me so much, apparently on the field, but also from it, can have a platform to go out and be a better person every day. ”
Mahomes has plenty of time to figure out his career endeavors. In the meantime, there is enough to do, enough left to achieve. Big quarterbacks are now playing in their 40s, so he has a decades-plus to build up the kind of football legacy he had in mind, even before the recent broadcast of ESPN’s smash documentary “The Last Dance “- on Jordan’s epic career with the Bulls – potentially delivered a blueprint.
“I think it happened even earlier,” Mahomes said a few months ago, when asked how much the documentary influenced the importance of heritage for him. “I think watching ‘The Last Dance’ and Michael and all the good that he did and that he did and all the success that he has is just confirmation. ‘
To be sure, Mahomes is all-in on the Chiefs for the immediate future. And as his deal with the Royals also proves, it’s a promise that extends to the city in which he also became a superstar.
“I’m proud of him – you know how wired he is,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Sunday when asked about Mahomes’ decision to buy a piece from the Royals. ‘He’s all-in with the city, and I think he expresses that. And if he does not already have that, it’s a definite sign that he is. ‘
