Getty Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes (left) and professional boxer Jake Paul (right)
As the Kansas City Chiefs look to repeat as the NFL’s most productive offense in 2021, one fan-favorite receiver has taken on a new look during offseason workouts.
In a photo posted to his Twitter account on Tuesday evening, April 20, third-year wideout Byron Pringle was seen posing in an indoor boxing ring alongside teammate Gehrig Dieter. However, it was Dieter who caught the attention of many, appearing to be a doppelganger of YouTuber turned professional boxer Jake Paul.
Paul, of course, recently shook up the fight scene again on Saturday, April 17, after his stunning first-round knockout of MMA fighter Ben Askren. Sporting a similar shaggy blonde beard and hairdo to the internet sensation, Dieter’s teammates couldn’t let him slide on his new appearance.
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Patrick Mahomes & Tyreek Hill Roast Dieter on Twitter
GettyBoxer Jake Paul celebrates following his knockout of Ben Askren.
Shortly after the photo hit the world wide web, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes chimed in with his thoughts.
“This man @GehrigDieter thinks he is Jake Paul,” Mahomes tweeted with three crying laughing emojis.
The superstar’s tweet even drew the attention of Paul, who replied with an “Lolllll,” and fellow wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who joked that “Dieter is a clown.”
Dieter, 28, is entering his fifth year with Kansas City, where he has spent his first four seasons bouncing between the team’s active roster and practice squad. The former Alabama product has only two receptions for 32 yards on his NFL resume, but has carved out a budding friendship with his quarterback since joining the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2017 — the same year as Mahomes.
“I think we are just pretty similar people,” Dieter said of Mahomes in 2018, via WNDU. “Obviously, we came from a little bit different scenarios but at the end of the day we started hanging out and we like to do the same things. We’re competitive in every single thing that we do so we gelled right away and we are pretty much best buds to the day. It’s pretty cool to have a guy like that but I would be friends with him even if he wasn’t the league MVP. It’s a cool person to have in your corner.”
Chiefs Stars Preparing for Pickleball Against UFC Fighter
Paul isn’t the only combat sports star the Chiefs are having some overlap with this month. On April 10, UFC middleweight contender and self-proclaimed “baddest man from Kansas City” Julian Marquez issued a bizarre challenge to Mahomes, Hill and Travis Kelce after his latest victory at UFC Vegas 23.
“So now I have a call out to give to everyone from Kansas City,” Marquez said, via ESPN MMA. “You see, this is the thing. I’m the baddest man from Kansas City, the baddest middleweight from Missouri, and this is one thing, it’s my time right now.
“So Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, I challenge you guys to a badminton or pickleball competition. Straight up, if you guys want to see who the pound-for-pound champ is of Kansas City, you’re coming after me. This magnificent beard tops all of what you guys have to bring.”
You heard the man.
@JMarquezMMA wants @tkelce, @PatrickMahomes, @cheetah in badminton or pickleball 😅 #UFCVegas23
Despite Mahomes’ still making his way back from February toe surgery, all three Chiefs playmakers were quick to accept the challenge on Twitter.
“We can settle ALL this up at Chicken n Pickle!! LFG!!!,” Kelce proclaimed, suggesting an upcoming battle at the new Kansas City-based entertainment complex.
Though many have suggested adding a charitable component to the pickleball competition, no dates or specifications have been made public as of writing. Much of the NFL’s offseason calendar has yet to be determined, but players were eligible to begin participating in phase one of offseason workouts as of April 19. Still, pickleball remains a possibility before training camp kicks off later this summer. Just don’t tell Brett Veach.
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Chris Licata is an NFL contributor covering the Kansas City Chiefs from enemy territory in Denver, Colorado. Follow him on Twitter @Chris__Licata or join the Heavy on Chiefs Facebook community for the latest out of Chiefs Kingdom!