The poor black young man looked at football shoes in the store but didn’t have enough money in his pocket to buy football shoes – Coincidentally, superstar Patrick Mahomes also appeared in the store and he made a decision that shocked the whole store!

Marcus Thompson had always dreamed of playing basketball, but dreams come with obstacles, and for 14-year-old Marcus, that obstacle was his basketball shoes. They were barely holding together, their soles peeling off from countless games on cracked courts and unforgiving streets. Despite the desperate condition of his shoes, Marcus had made the city Championship team tryouts, and he had three weeks to get himself prepared. But with only $23.42 saved up from teaching younger kids at the community center, he knew there was no way he could afford the $80 needed for new regulation shoes.

The day of the Community Center game was supposed to be his moment to shine, but as fate would have it, his shoes had other plans. With his team trailing by one point and the clock ticking down, Marcus found himself desperately trying to hold on to the ball as his shoes gave up on him. The left shoe’s sole split completely, causing him to slip and fall to the floor, the ball flying from his hands, and the opposing team scoring an easy basket. The buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game, and the defeat stung not just because of the loss but because of what his shoes symbolized—a reminder that his dreams might be too big for his reality.

As Marcus walked home, the quiet sorrow of his ruined shoes was only compounded by the realization that he wouldn’t make the championship tryouts if he couldn’t get new shoes. His mother was working two jobs, and his father had passed away when he was just seven. He never wanted to ask her for help, knowing how hard she worked to keep the family afloat. So, he quietly accepted his fate, even though the dream of playing in the city Championship felt like it was slipping out of his grasp.

When he got home, he sat down with the old, worn-out shoes, carefully setting them aside next to the box his first pair of basketball shoes had come in. Those shoes had been a gift from his father, and even though they were long gone, the memories of that day—his dad’s smile as Marcus strutted around the store in his new shoes—stayed with him. That memory was a reminder of what he was fighting for: a chance to honor his dad’s memory, to honor the game they both loved, and to make something of himself.

The next morning, Marcus decided he wouldn’t give up. He woke up before his alarm, determined to make the most of the time before his shift at the community center. His broken shoes still sat in the corner of his room, but he laced up his old running shoes and set out. He spent the morning practicing shots, doing dribbling drills, and helping DeAndre, a younger kid from the neighborhood, with a crossover move. It was just another day of practicing, but this time, it was different. This time, he had something to prove—not just to the world but to himself.

Later that day, as he taught a group of elementary kids at the community center, Marcus couldn’t help but think about the tryouts. Coach Wilson had given him the form, and the rules were clear: players needed regulation shoes to participate. But Marcus knew that no matter how hard he worked, he couldn’t afford the shoes in time.

After class, Coach Wilson pulled him aside. “Talk to me, Marcus. What’s going on?”

Marcus hesitated, then explained about his shoes. “I just need a little more time to save up. I’m working on it.”

Coach Wilson rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Tell you what. The center sometimes gets equipment donations. I’ll make some calls. Maybe we can get you some help.”

Marcus appreciated the offer but shook his head. “I’ll handle it myself, Coach. I don’t want to ask for charity.”

Coach Wilson studied him for a long moment before nodding. “I respect that, but remember, Marcus, sometimes accepting help is the strongest thing you can do.”

That night, Marcus couldn’t sleep. He thought about Sophie, one of his students, who had finally made a basket after struggling for weeks. He thought about how basketball had given him a purpose, a way to prove that despite the odds, he could succeed. But it wasn’t about the shoes, he knew that now. It was about the heart.

The next day, after his shift at the community center, Marcus went to the mall. It wasn’t much—just a sale that Coach Wilson had told him about. He had $28.42 to spend, but he wasn’t sure it would be enough. When he arrived at the store, he headed straight for the clearance section, avoiding the kids from his school who always got new shoes every season. As he scanned the tags, his hopes dwindled. Even with the sale, the cheapest pair was still more than he could afford.

But then, something changed. A store employee named Sarah noticed Marcus’s situation and approached him. She listened carefully as he explained his need for shoes for the championship tryouts. Without hesitation, she disappeared into the back of the store and returned with a pair of shoes—perfect for his size, with great support and cushioning. They were last season’s model, but they’d only been worn once. The price tag said $95, but Sarah explained that they were marked down due to the return. The final price was still over $50, too much for Marcus.

“Try them on,” Sarah insisted. “Let’s see if they fit.”

When Marcus put on the shoes, it felt like magic. They were perfect—better than anything he could have hoped for. But as he reached to take them off and return to his old shoes, he was stopped by Sarah.

“You know, I think you should turn around,” Sarah said softly.

Marcus looked up, confused. Before he could respond, he heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching. The store had gone quiet, and a shadow loomed over him. When he turned around, he couldn’t believe his eyes. Standing in front of him was none other than Patrick Mahomes.

“Those shoes look good on you, young man,” Mahomes said with a warm smile.

Marcus’s mind went blank. His heart raced, and all he could do was stare at the man who had been his hero for as long as he could remember. Phones were raised all around the store, capturing the moment, but Marcus couldn’t focus on anything except the man in front of him.

Mahomes asked, “You trying out for the city Championship?”

Marcus nodded, barely able to speak. “Yes, sir.”

“Well,” Mahomes said, “Let’s see if you can move in them.” He gestured toward the store’s test court.

With shaking hands, Marcus dribbled the ball and began his routine. The new shoes gripped the floor perfectly, and he felt more confident than he had in weeks. He made his jump shot, the ball swishing through the net, and Mahomes nodded approvingly.

“You’ve got good form,” Mahomes said. “Your dad taught you well.”

Marcus’s heart swelled with pride as Mahomes shared a story of his own struggles with shoes when he was younger. But Mahomes’s words hit hardest when he said, “It’s not about the shoes. It’s about the heart.”

Then Mahomes surprised Marcus even more. “The shoes you’re wearing—they’re a gift. From one player to another. You’ve got something special, Marcus.”

And just like that, Marcus’s dreams were no longer just dreams. With Mahomes’s encouragement and a scholarship to the Patrick Mahomes Youth Football Camp in hand, Marcus knew that nothing—least of all his shoes—could stop him from achieving greatness.

Patrick Mahomes’ Trainer Says There Are Benefits to His ‘Dad Bod’: ‘I Don’t Need Him to Look Like a Model’ 

Trainer Bobby Stroupe says he keeps the NFL star in football shape using unconventional training methods including gymnastics and martial arts exercises

Patrick Mahomes training with Bobby Stroupe. Photo: 

Bobby Stroupe

Patrick Mahomes was just 9 years old when he started working with his trainer Bobby Stroupe. Now, 20 years later with three Super Bowl wins and two MVP awards under his belt, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback has a regimen locked in with the sports coach.

Stroupe — founder and president of the Athlete Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) — recently shared his and Mahomes’ fitness methods and why, despite the jokes, the NFL star’s “dad bod” is actually good to have.

“As far as our approach, I call it the cake system because — I’m really corny — but basically there’s eight layers to this,” he explains. “There’s eight different things that we focus on: movement literacy, force absorption, force transmission, pattern stability, tissue resiliency, mobility, stability and flexibility.”

Stroupe and Mahomes try to train four or five days a week during the off-season. But since the 29-year-old has a family and a busy schedule, they work with the time they have. Some days, Stroupe says, they train for more than four hours; other workouts last 90 minutes.

“During the season it is a different situation because football is the priority. The big days for us are the day after the game,” he continues. “When most people are resting the day after the game, we really work. There’s about three to three and a half hours worth of soft tissue work, mobility work, range of motion work, and just general health. Trying to make sure that the 26 bones in your foot, the 640 muscles, the 12 fascial lines, everything’s got to be in working order.”

Additionally, Stroupe has relied on unconventional training methods with Mahomes, such as gymnastics and javelin-based workouts, as well as martial arts exercises.

“There are some things that you would not think that an NFL quarterback would be doing, but we’ve found that Patrick responds really well to this system and this approach,” he says.

Stroupe says he knows there have recently been jokes on social media — even from Mahomes himself — about the Chiefs star’s “dad bod,” but weight and body composition have long been on his radar.

In fact, he says, a dad bod can actually be healthy for some people.

“I’ll be the first to tell you that I think an NFL quarterback should have at least 14% body fat,” Stroupe says. “It’s not from an unhealthy standpoint, but from a force absorption standpoint. You have to be able to take contact.”

“We know there’s just not a lot of quarterbacks in the Hall of Fame that have a six-pack and there’s a reason for that. We’ve got to find that fine line of performance and health. And the aesthetic part is a different conversation,” he explains. “I don’t need him to look like a model because the way he chooses to play requires a certain type of physicality, and that physicality needs more body fat. That is a core belief that I do have for him.”

Patrick Homes.David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty

In addition to fitness, Stroupe — who trains several NFL and MLB players — stresses the importance of diet and nutrition with his athletes. Nutrition, he says, can either work as a gas pedal or a brake depending on how much it’s prioritized.

“The quality and sources of our food, drinks, and everything down to our caffeine sources plays a role in performance,” he notes.

Stroupe says that with Mahomes, they’ve relied heavily on Throne SPORT COFFEE, which was created by business owner Michael Fedele in partnership with the quarterback.

“Patrick’s always been someone that has coffee first thing in the morning. But one of the challenges that he had was, I also wanted him to take some shakes to add different amino acids and protein and other things that I felt were important.”

Stroupe says that turning to the product removed the “give and take” between he and Mahomes, allowing the NFL star to have his coffee while getting the nutritional benefits the trainer wanted him to get. “It was a no-brainer for us,” he adds.

Patrick Mahomes.

Throne SPORT COFFEE

Now, as Mahomes is playing in his eighth NFL season, Stroupe tells PEOPLE that the star’s mantra has been “be the best you” to achieve longevity in his football career.

“He’s one of the most unique athletes that we’ve ever seen in any sport in all time and he’s got to focus on being Patrick,” Stroupe says. “If he were to try to emulate Peyton Manning or Tom Brady, we wouldn’t have the benefit of watching someone like him play this game on this level.”

“And no matter how many rings he wins, no matter how many MVPs, every game we can identify things that he can do better,” he adds. “There’s unlimited opportunity to improve.”