"He felt how much I love football" - When Patrick Mahomes' dad helped him choose NFL career over baseball
Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes II had a legacy to follow even before he joined the NFL. The QB's father, Pat Mahomes, was an MLB pitcher. Naturally, the QB's father wanted his son to follow in his baseball-playing footsteps and become an MLB player.
Mahomes played football and baseball during his freshman and sophomore years at Texas Tech. Following his sophomore year, he quit baseball in order to focus on football.
During a 2019 appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live," Patrick spoke about what it was like to have a professional baseball player for a dad and how his parents continued to support him. Despite him choosing another sport altogether, Mahomes revealed that his father was never disappointed in him.
"My dad and mom, neither one were disappointed. They always told me, whatever I do, just be the best you can, and do the best you can at it," Patrick Mahomes said. "And so whenever I was choosing football and baseball, which one I was going with, they told me to make my decision and run with it."
Of course, that doesn't mean his father never wanted him to take up baseball. Considering Mahomes' inclination towards sports, Pat Mahomes certainly wanted his son to start playing baseball professionally:
"When I was younger, my dad wanted me to be a baseball player for sure. But as I got older, I knew he felt how much I love football and how much I wanted to follow that dream."
Did Patrick Mahomes II almost join the Detroit Tigers?
Although Mahomes is doing splendidly as a QB, he was drafted by the Detroit Tigers. Like his father, Mahomes could have been on his way to signing a deal with an MLB team and making a name for himself.
Apparently, Mahomes' game as the star pitcher at Whitehouse High School landed him a spot with the Tigers. However, the Chiefs icon was on his way to Texas Tech on his football scholarship. He eventually fell to the 34th round of the draft.
While speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, Mahomes spoke a little about the Tigers, who did give him a call. He grew up playing baseball and was certainly interested in pursuing the sport.
"I remember, they actually called me and they said, 'We know you're not coming. We'll see you in three years.' And that's all they said on the phone. I said, 'All right' and I went to college."
Congratulations to #Tigers 2014 37th-round pick Patrick Mahomes on winning MVP of his football game.
The Tigers, of course, knew of Patrick Mahomes' commitment to Texas Tech.