Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes makes his voice heard. He should talk about the Tomahawk Chop
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes recently joined with other NFL players in condemning racism and demanding that the league recognize the players’ right to protest injustice.
“I am Tamir Rice,” Mahomes says in the viral Black Lives Matter video, referring to the 12-year-old African American killed by the Cleveland police.
Mahomes’ willingness to take a stand sent a potent message that resonated far beyond Kansas City. “He has been the MVP of this league. He has won a Super Bowl,” said Doug Williams, a former NFL quarterback who’s African American. “It says a lot that he wanted to be involved in pushing for … change. It was very powerful.”
Mahomes has quickly emerged as much more than a star quarterback. He is a respected and consequential voice in the NFL, and his involvement — along with teammate Tyrann Mathieu’s — no doubt played a role in NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s decision to acknowledge that “we were wrong” in handling player protests.
“I’ve been given this platform,” Mahomes later told reporters. “I want to make sure that I can do whatever I can to make the world a better place.”
Speaking out and declaring that “Black lives matter” took courage and self-awareness. Mahomes could remain silent and simply enjoy his money and fame, and no one would think less of him for it. He is just 24 years old.
But there is more he can do.
The Chiefs overuse native symbols, particularly the Tomahawk Chop, in marketing and on game day. Many Native American groups find the chop offensive and want it to stop.
The Star Editorial Board has called for a new tradition and an end to this affront to Native Americans. But the team and thousands of fans have resisted. The chop goes on.
That’s where Mahomes comes in. Surely he now recognizes that the chop is unnecessary and provocative, and is particularly offensive at this moment. All Americans, he knows, deserve to be treated with respect — not reduced to a stereotype in a meaningless chant.
Mahomes could start small by ending his own use of the chop on the field. Once he’s comfortable with that, he could suggest his teammates stop doing it. Then he could ask fans in the seats — assuming there are any — to knock it off, too.
Imagine the power in those gestures. Ending the chop isn’t some vague call for peace and unity. It’s a decisive step toward achieving both goals. And Patrick Mahomes — maybe only Patrick Mahomes — could do it.
Stand by now for the usual chorus of moans and objections. The chop isn’t offensive, some fans will argue. It helps the team. It’s fun. It’s something that unites the stadium, blah blah blah.
None of those claims stand up to the slightest scrutiny. The chop mocks Native American culture.
The nation rightly cringes each time football fans watch a Chiefs game. And while some other sports franchises have changed or eliminated traditions that disrespect Native Americans, Kansas City has dug in.
America is debating the use of symbols in every corner of the country. We’re arguing over street names, fountains, military bases, statues and place names. The arguments are intense, and in some cases, incredibly uninformed.
Getting rid of offensive symbols won’t change the world overnight. But it can help change the way people see the world, and that’s critical. That’s why many NFL players will be taking a knee this fall. That’s why you won’t see Confederate flags at Kansas Speedway. That’s why statues are coming down.
The chop teaches us nothing about Native Americans or their culture.
Of course, it isn’t fair to put this much pressure on Patrick Mahomes. But it’s his burden, nonetheless.
In 1971, singer George Harrison referred to using “Beatle power” when he organized a charity concert for Bangladesh. If you have to be famous, he thought, you might as well use it for good.
Mahomes isn’t a Beatle, but he’s close. So let’s hope for another video soon from the Chiefs’ star quarterback. “I’m not doing the chop anymore,” he could say. “I hope you’ll join me.”
