Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes is one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, but his parents, Randi and Pat Mahomes Sr., witnessed their son nearly start a professional baseball career. Patrick’s dad, Pat Sr., is a former MLB pitcher whose 11 seasons included stints with the Minnesota Twins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets, Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs among other teams.
Prior to developing into a potential college football player, Patrick emerged as an imposing pitcher and nearly followed in his father’s footsteps. Despite his talent, Patrick developed a passion for football, but his mom, Randi, insisted that her son balance playing both sports for one year at Texas Tech before walking away from baseball.
“I was like, ‘You’ve committed and I don’t raise a quitter,'” Randi recalled during a 2017 interview with the Chiefs official website.
“I told him for one year you have to do both because so many kids would love to have this opportunity.”
Ultimately, Patrick turned down the chance so join the minor leagues to focus on football, a move that turned out to be prudent, especially for Chiefs fans.
Patrick Mahomes’ Dad, Pat Mahomes Sr., Is a Former MLB Pitcher
Patrick may not have ended up as an MLB player, but the sport still heavily shaped his NFL career. The Chiefs quarterback grew up in MLB clubhouses thanks to his father’s career.
“He got to see what it was like to be a professional and how they go about their business,” Pat Sr. told The Athletic’s Dan Hayes during a 2019 feature story.
“Just sucking it all in. He was with me in the World Series and there was 65,000 people in the stands,” Patrick’s dad added.
“Now when he goes out and there’s big crowds like that it’s not a big deal to him. It’s like he’s just playing a game.”
Patrick Mahomes Is Proud of Family’s Multi-Racial Heritage
Off the field, Patrick has been open about being proud of his diverse racial identity. During a 2020 interview with GQ’s Clay Skipper, Patrick opened up about growing up in a multi-racial family.
“I’ve seen how people, on Twitter, have tweeted and said, ‘Oh, you’re not full Black,’” Patrick told GQ at the time. “But I’ve always just had the confidence and believed in who I am.
“And I’ve known that I’m Black. And I’m proud to be Black. And I’m proud to have a white mom too. I’m just proud of who I am. And I’ve always had that confidence in myself.”
Patrick Mahomes Pivoted From Baseball to Football Career During College Tenure at Texas Tech
Pat Sr. may have had a lengthy MLB career, but Patrick’s dad insists that seeing his son pivot to football was not a hard transition. Patrick made the move early during his college tenure at Texas Tech and the decision continues to pay off.
“He wanted to get more into the film and stuff like that,” Pat Sr. recalled the star quarterback’s decision during a 2017 interview with the Chiefs’ website. “I was fine with it.
“It didn’t hurt me one way or the other for the simple fact that I knew that if he ever wanted to go back and play baseball, like if the football hadn’t of worked out at Tech, it’s not hard for him to re-learn something he’s done all his life.”
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ Parents, Randi & Pat Mahomes Sr., Expected MLB Career