NFL star Patrick Mahomes has been an unstoppable force from the second he stepped on the football field. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017, became the starting quarterback in 2018, and took the team to victory at the 2019 Super Bowl.
Sure, he got there with hard work and dedication. But he also owes a debt of gratitude to his family. Patrick Mahomes’ dad, Pat Mahomes Sr., undoubtedly had a hand in his success. As we gear up to watch Mahomes’ performance in his second Super Bowl, find out more about his father and the influence he had on his son’s career.
Patrick Mahomes’ Dad Was A Professional Baseball Player
Pat Mahomes Sr., 50, is a former baseball pitcher. After turning down football and basketball scholarships to play baseball for the University of Arkansas, he was drafted by the Minnesota Twins in the 1998 MLB Draft. Pat Sr. ditched college and went straight to the pros.
Between 1992 and 2003, he played for six MLB teams: Minnesota Twins (1992-1996), Boston Red Sox (1996-1997), New York Mets (1998-2000), Texas Rangers (2001), Chicago Cubs (2002) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2003.) He also spent one year in Japan pitching for the Yokohama BayStars, and five years as a journeyman on the minor leagues, before retiring in 2009.
Watch Pat Sr. strike out his opponent in this 1999 Cubs vs. Mets game:
Pat Mahomes And His Wife Amicably Split When Patrick Was a Child
Pat Sr. began dating Randi Martin shortly after the Texas cheerleader graduated from high school. Although their wedding date is unknown, Randi gave birth to Patrick Mahomes Jr. on September 17, 1995. She also has another son, TikToker Jackson Mahomes, and a daughter, 10-year-old Mia Randall (from another relationship).
The couple quietly divorced when Patrick was a child, but they seem to remain on good terms. Randi kept the last name Mahomes, and Pat Sr. is present for family events, like her former father-in-law’s January birthday celebration:
It looks like Patrick grew up with folks who made his sense of security and stability a priority.
Pat Mahomes Sr. Tried To Drive Patrick Away From Football
Pat Sr. is a proud father, but he wasn’t always keen on the idea of his son choosing a path to the NFL. Patrick played football and baseball at Texas Tech University, and, as some fans know, he’s not too shabby at basketball either.
“I really think he could have played all three,” Pat Sr. told TMZ Sports. “Football was probably the one that I would have said would have been his worst chance of making into the pros, and that ended up being his best.”
“I remember coming home from a recruit visit with Texas and they were recruiting him as a safety,” he continued. “I was telling him, ‘Why don’t we just quit this and concentrate on the other two? We’re just wasting our time with this football thing.’ … Luckily he didn’t listen to me.”
For more on his thoughts about Patrick’s career, check out the full interview below:
Pat Mahomes Sr. Always Knew His Son Was A Special Talent
Everyone thinks their kid is exceptional, but Pat Sr. had something different on his hands. It’s just that he figured it out while watching Patrick on a diamond rather than the gridiron.
“I was coaching him one time and we were playing a game,” Pat Sr. told The Daily News in January 2020. “We were beating the team pretty bad. He came up to me and said, ‘Dad, I’m gonna go up here and hit left handed the next time. I’m gonna hit left handed and I’m also going to hit with a wooden bat.’ I said, ‘Well, we’re up, go do what you do.’ He hit the first pitch and he hit it over the centerfield fence and I said, ‘Oh, this kid is pretty special.'”
But when Patrick decided to choose football over baseball, his father ultimately “went all in.”
“I saw him turn down life-changing money,” Pat Sr. continued. “He said ‘Dad, I want to play football.’ He made the decision. He’s always been a kid that was very responsible with the decision that he made. Once he made the decision, I changed my hat and we decided to the best we could … Never in my mind did I imagine it would be the way it is now.”
In a January 2020 interview with Kansas City’s Fox 4, he clarified that he was never mad about the choice. He was only concerned about his son’s safety and well-being.
“It wasn’t that I was mad,” he said. “I just saw the danger. You could get hurt a lot easier… I was always thought he was gonna be a baseball player, but the bottom line is it’s his decision and his career.”
Patrick And His Dad Hope To Have Another Special Super Bowl Moment
When Patrick hits the field for Super Bowl LV, perhaps we’ll see a repeat of the touching father-and-son moment that took place in 2019. Check out this post-game moment where the Mahomes share an embrace (and some tears):
However, football fans know that a repeat Super Bowl win won’t be an easy feat. The Kansas City Chiefs will be up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, whose quarterback, Tom Brady, will be making his 10th Super Bowl appearance.
Tune in to CBS on February 7, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. ET for kick-off.