A Chance Encounter: Patrick Mahomes and the Heart of a Community
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the Whole Foods parking lot in downtown Los Angeles. Patrick Mahomes, the legendary NFL star known for his brilliance both on and off the field, pulled his custom electric SUV into a parking spot. At 6’3″, he had to duck slightly as he stepped out of his car, drawing the usual mix of awed stares and excited whispers from nearby shoppers.
As he adjusted his athletic-inspired blazer—a necessity after attending a charity board meeting earlier—he checked his phone one last time. Three missed calls from his financial adviser and a text about a new philanthropic opportunity stared back at him. At 28, Patrick’s empire had expanded far beyond football, encompassing everything from media production to educational initiatives. Yet, a nagging thought lingered in his mind: Was he doing enough to leave a deeper legacy?
Just as he was about to head into the store, movement near the entrance caught his eye. An elderly woman in a wheelchair was struggling with several grocery bags, trying to maneuver herself while preventing the bags from spilling onto the pavement. Despite his celebrity status and the many onlookers, Patrick didn’t hesitate. It reminded him of his late father, who had always emphasized the importance of helping others, no matter how small the act.
“Excuse me, ma’am,” Patrick said, his warm smile lighting up the chilly afternoon. “Let me help you with those bags.”
The woman looked up, her eyes widening in recognition. “Oh my goodness, you’re Patrick Mahomes! My late husband, Derek, and I never missed one of your games. He was the biggest Chiefs fan!” Her voice trembled with emotion, but she quickly added, “But please, I don’t want to trouble you.”
“Trouble? Not at all,” Patrick assured her, already gathering the bags in his powerful hands. “Where’s your car?”
“I live in the senior apartments just down the block,” she replied, gesturing down the street. “My daughter, Velma, usually helps me, but she’s busy today, and we needed groceries. I thought I could manage on my own.”
There was a note of frustration in her voice that Patrick immediately recognized—the determination to maintain independence even when physical limitations made it challenging. “Well, today you’ve got the Patrick Express,” he said with a grin, carefully arranging the bags so he could push her wheelchair while holding everything securely.
As they strolled toward the senior apartments, the woman introduced herself as Helen Johnson. She explained that she had been wheelchair-bound for six years following a car accident but was determined to remain as independent as possible. “My doctor said I might never leave my bed,” she said with quiet pride, “but I refused to let that happen. My late husband always reminded me that Johnson women don’t back down from a challenge.”
Helen spoke with a resilience that resonated with Patrick, who admired her resolve. She shared more about her life, recounting her 30 years as a physical education teacher, inspiring children to love sports and stay active. “I used to tell my students about you,” she said with a warm laugh, “not just about your football career but how you stayed dedicated to education and leadership. You inspired a lot of them.”
As they talked, Patrick kept Helen laughing with his well-known sense of humor, sharing stories about his family, philanthropic projects, and media ventures. Unbeknownst to him, a small group of bystanders had begun to follow them at a respectful distance, their phones out capturing the heartwarming moment. A young boy on a bike stopped to watch, his wide eyes reflecting admiration as he saw the NFL star helping someone in such a simple yet profound way.
The short walk gave Patrick time to reflect on his day and his life. At 28, he had achieved more than most could dream of—NFL championships, business ventures, and philanthropic milestones. But moments like these reminded him of his true purpose. He thought about his father, who had taught him that greatness wasn’t just about winning on the field or succeeding in business but about the positive impact you could have on the lives of others. “Be a giant in your heart, not just in your height,” his father would say.
Earlier that morning, Patrick had been in a high-rise conference room meeting with his team of advisers to discuss potential business ventures. The discussions revolved around investment opportunities and community impact initiatives. Among the proposals was a pitch to invest in a chain of medical supply stores, a venture promising significant profits with projected returns of 20% in the first year alone.
Despite the compelling numbers, something about the deal didn’t sit right with Patrick. Over the years, he had developed a knack for identifying meaningful investments—ones that aligned with his core values. While his team focused on profit margins and glossy reports, Patrick’s thoughts drifted to his father’s
Kansas City Chiefs Megastar Patrick Mahomes Discusses Hectic Offseason, New Ad Campaign
Patrick Mahomes interacts with Troy Polamalu in the new Head & Shoulders commercial.
Head & Shoulders
In his five weeks off since the end of minicamp and the beginning of training camp this weekend, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has vacationed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lake Tahoe, Nev. and Texas.
“But,” Mahomes said, “I’m usually working pretty much the whole time.”
That’s why it’s appropriate that Mahomes is involved in Head & Shoulders’ “Never Not Working” ad campaign, riffing on the fact that the shampoo is always working to give users up to 100% dandruff protection.
The major thing Mahomes worked on this offseason was improving his decision-making and getting the ball out of his hands more quickly.
To do so, he broke down film from last year, and his offseason quarterback coach — and founder of Throw It Deep training — Jeff Christensen repeatedly put him in drills where he sent multiple receivers down the field, forcing him to make snap decisions and throw to the right target depending on the call Christensen made.
That should be good preparation for quickly firing the ball to Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, Mecole Hardman or Clyde Edwards-Helaire.
“We have so many playmakers around me,” Mahomes said. “If I can get it to them, a lot of good things can happen.”
He’ll continue to hone his decision-making at training camp, where Mahomes will have no restrictions despite having February surgery on the toe he initially injured in the AFC Divisional Playoff Game against the Cleveland Browns.
“I’m excited to go into camp feeling 100% … It’s doing great. I’ve had no setbacks,” he said. “I’ll be full go for sure.”
His arduous of days of rehab are behind him, though he’ll do exercises every now and then after practice as a precautionary measure.
The toe has recovered, and the new father also is rested. His daughter, Sterling Skye Mahomes, who was born in February, is sleeping through the night, usually going to bed at 7 or 9 p.m. and waking up at 6 or 7 a.m.
“Brittney (Matthews) helps out a ton. She’s a great mom,” he said. “She makes it a lot easier on me.”
When Mahomes and Matthews, his fiancée, are watching TV, they’ll sometime stumble across one of his commercials, which can make for a surreal experience. He used to walk out of the room but has now become more comfortable.
“I’ve gotten used to it a little bit now,” Mahomes said. “At first it was definitely weird. I’d hear my own voice on the TV.”
The former NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP and current highest paid NFL player has endorsed Kansas City-headquartered companies: CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Airshare and Tickets For Less and nationally-headquartered brands: Oakley, State Farm, Bose headphones, Hunt’s ketchup, Hy-Vee grocery stores, Essentia Water and Head & Shoulders.
It’s the third consecutive year he has been in a nationally televised ad for Head & Shoulders.
Partly because of Mahomes’ famous coiffure, the Head & Shoulders advertising campaign came about when his marketing manager, Jacquelyn Dahl, introduced him to the Head & Shoulders team and their agency at a Super Bowl event in Minneapolis prior to his transcendent 2018 season.
Then they had a few meetings, including at the 2019 NFL Draft in Nashville, Tenn., and talked about adding some humor to the commercials, something Mahomes was in favor of.
That resulted in the initial 2019 commercial, in which Troy Polamalu and Mahomes go back and forth on whether Head & Shoulders is great offense for hair or great defense against flakes. It resembled Miller Lite’s tastes great/less filling ads of the late 1980s.
The current commercial, which was released this week, promotes Head & Shoulders’ Scalp Shield technology by having Polamalu pop up at random locations, doing a variety of jobs to show that he’s always working — just like the shampoo.
Patrick Mahomes and Troy Polamalu appear in a Head & Shoulders commercial for the third straight … [+]
Head & Shoulders
Mahomes’ favorite part is when Polamalu, who’s working at a car wash, emerges to squeegee the foam away from Mahomes’ front window. It’s a scene they had to shoot multiple times.
Polamalu also works as a golf instructor who interrupts Mahomes’ backswing.
The golf course is a common offseason setting for Mahomes. In addition to playing in Texas, he participated in the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe this summer.
“It’s always fun when I go up to Tahoe to play in that tournament,” he said.
Mahomes also has enjoyed getting to know Polamalu. They text each other during the season, but often their interaction isn’t even about football. They instead discuss their charities and families.
“Troy’s such a great dude, man,” Mahomes said. “He truly cares about me as a person.”
Their rapport shows in the ads. They did not write any of the lines, but the directors allowed them to go off script a bit.
“We have fun while we’re doing it,” Mahomes said. “I think that’s why it’s so funny.”
Because of their flowing locks, Polamalu and Mahomes are natural spokesmen for Head & Shoulders.
Mahomes’ hairstyle — heavy on top, shaved on the sides — is cool for a 25-year-old quarterback, but the new father eventually may have to opt for more of a dad look.
“We’ll see how long I can keep this,” Mahomes said. “I don’t know if I can have a 15-year-old daughter with this hairdo.”
