Getty Pat Mahomes poses for a picture in 2000 as a member of the New York Mets.
Patrick Mahomes’ dad, Pat Mahomes, knew he was raising a pro athlete. Pat just did not know his son would end up in the NFL rather than MLB.
Pat was a pro baseball pitcher for more than a decade, and Patrick spent the early years of his life in clubhouses with his father. Former Mets manager Bobby Valentine coached Pat and remembers seeing the Chiefs quarterback around the team.
“An adorable kid,” Valentine explained to ESPN. “I recall Patrick running around in my clubhouse, jumping up and giving guys high-fives after games. During batting practice Pat would take him into the outfield behind second base.”
Patrick got an up-close look at his father playing in big games a pro baseball pitcher. It is part of the reason Pat believes his son has been able to stay calm under pressure now that he is an NFL quarterback.
“There aren’t many events bigger than the World Series,” Pat noted to ESPN. “That’s why I don’t think any moment now is ever too much for Patrick.”
Learn more about Patrick’s dad and his pro baseball career.
1. Pat Wanted Patrick to Take Batting Practice With MLB Stars Like Alex Rodriguez to Allow His Son to Become a Better Athlete
Patrick grew up being around professional athletes thanks to joining his father in MLB clubhouses. Patrick used to take batting practice with top players like Alex Rodriguez and Derek Jeter. Pat noted it was a way to spend time with his son and also expose him to what it takes to be a top athlete.
“I was actually one of the first guys with the Mets to bring a kid on the field; everyone was scared he’d get hurt,” Pat told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “It was a way for me to spend time with him, and just to see how guys prepare. In the case of Alex Rodriguez, seeing how a guy at the top of his game worked and prepared for each game. I think it helped.”
2. Pat Played More Than a Decade as an MLB Pitcher for the Twins, Red Sox, Mets, Rangers, Cubs & Pirates
Pat spent 11 seasons as an MLB pitcher and played for six different teams. Pat spent the most time with the Twins pitching in Minnesota for five seasons. He also played for the Red Sox (two seasons), Mets (two seasons), Pirates (one season), Rangers (one season) and Cubs (one season).
Pat’s best season came in 1994 when he went 9-5 as a Twins starter. Over his career, Pat played in 308 games throwing 452 strikeouts during his 11 seasons. Pat spent the majority of his career as a relief pitcher but did start in 63 games. Pat went 42-39 over his decade-plus career.
3. Patrick Wore His Father’s Mets Jersey to a Game & Pat Sr. Cried After Seeing It
Patrick paid homage to his father earlier this season by wearing his old Mets jersey prior to a Chiefs game in October 2018. Pat saw the gesture on Twitter and immediately became emotional.
“That was a special day in my life,” Pat noted to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I saw it on Twitter, and I started to cry. There have been a lot of miles following him and the rest of the kids to their sporting events, and to see that he had this dream to be a football player, that it was paying off. … It was just very special.”
4. Pat Is Extremely Superstitious & Wears the Same Outfit During Chiefs Winning Streaks
Pat has become a fixture at Chiefs games, but the former pitcher likes to keep the same routine. This is especially true if the Chiefs are on a winning streak. Sports Illustrated detailed Pat’s dedication to wearing shorts even as the temperatures dropped to avoid messing up the Chiefs momentum earlier this season.
Mia [Parick’s sister] wore a silver 15 pendant—her brother’s now famous number—around her neck. Pat Sr. sat in the front row of the box on the far left—his customary seat, closest to the broadcast team. He is superstitious like that. He wore the same white khaki shorts all season, even as the temperatures dipped, until the Chiefs lost their second game of the season in Week 11 to the Rams. He sometimes watches a highlight reel of TV analysts calling his son a “project” and a “risk” and everything else they critiqued before the draft.
Pat’s former teammate LaTroy Hawkins is Pat’s godfather. LaTroy spoke with the USA Today about just how superstitious Pat has become.
“You’re not going to find a more superstitious guy,” LaTroy explained to the USA Today. “So when it’s freezing and snowing in December in Kansas City, you’re still going to see him wearing those shorts at Patrick’s football games.”
5. Pat Expected His Son to Become a Professional Baseball Player
Pat suspected his son would become a professional athlete. He just expected Patrick would follow in his footsteps as an MLB player. Patrick fell in love with football during high school and started to realize he enjoyed playing quarterback more than he did baseball.
“Probably since he was about 5 I thought he was going to have a chance to do some special things,” Patrick told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I just thought it would be baseball.”
Pat advised his son to continue playing baseball, but he chose a different path. It looks like Patrick’s own intuition paid off as he has become one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL.
“Baseball had been pretty much his whole life growing up, and he always played basketball, too,” Pat noted to the USA Today. “Those were his two sports. I was trying to keep him from playing football. But then his junior year in high school, he said he wanted to try this quarterback thing and see where it took him….Well, I’ve got to admit, he made the right choice.”
