Patrick Mahomes enters his LeBron era and embraces his villain role

Patrick Mahomes is going through a transformation that every elite athlete faces sooner or later. It’s the shift from hero to “villain.” After winning three Super Bowls in just seven seasons as the starting quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, Mahomes has become the undisputed face of the NFL. Kind of like LeBron James in the NBA. But with success comes resentment, and Mahomes knows it.

With those three Super Bowl rings, Patrick Mahomes is no longer the promising kid from Texas. He’s now the league’s leading man. And as LeBron James knows all too well, that meteoric rise comes at a cost. It’s the price of becoming the public’s favorite villain.

Public perception has changed

In a recent interview with ESPN, Patrick Mahomes admitted that the way fans see him has changed. “People start to turn on you. You become kind of a villain. But for me, it’s just about playing well,” he said. Fox Sports journalist Henry McKenna compared Mahomes’ shift to what legends like Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James have gone through. All of them, at some point, went from being celebrated to being criticized—not because they changed, but because the world around them did.

 

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According to outlets like SportRush, the parallel between Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James isn’t random. Both shook up their leagues at a young age. Both faced criticism for their playing styles. And both were accused of “breaking competitive balance.” LeBron lived it after his titles with Miami and Cleveland. Now Mahomes is living it, having turned the Chiefs into a modern dynasty.

This narrative makes Patrick Mahomes and LeBron James equally loved and hated. They’ve even been spotted together, sharing laughs and chemistry that lit up social media. As SportRush reported, Mahomes was seen in a laid-back setting, chatting with James, Kevin Durant, and other sports icons. Attendees described it as “a meeting of two GOATs of our generation.”

Impact beyond the field

Even though Patrick Mahomes is still chasing Tom Brady’s ring count and LeBron’s MVP haul, his influence already extends far beyond the field. From starring in major ad campaigns to launching business ventures with Travis Kelce, Mahomes is building a brand that goes beyond football. But with that visibility comes scrutiny. And as LeBron James knows, the boos aren’t the end—they’re just noise that sometimes pushes you to be even better.

Patrick Mahomes hasn’t changed. What’s changed is how people see him. And if history is any guide, this “villain” that critics love to hate might just end up, like LeBron James, as one of the greatest of all time.

Patrick Mahomes is literally the LeBron James of the NFL pic.twitter.com/jdOrYq66ID

— zaiire 💫 (@_zaiire_) February 12, 2024