Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes is featured in a lot of commercials. Here are our favorites
A few months after winning the Super Bowl, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was flooded with endorsement requests. He had already learned to say no, but with guidance from his team — agents, marketing professionals and the like — there were a few he didn’t want to pass up.
But even for some of those, that came with a condition.
They had to come to him.
Mahomes spent the offseason training in Fort Worth, Texas, and he didn’t want to miss a few workouts in order to shoot a commercial or pose for a couple of photos.
This is part of the world of a 25-year-old who is becoming one of the most recognizable names in the NFL. It’s part of how he fits all of this together — football and the stardom that accompanies it.
Patrick Mahomes is no longer simply the quarterback you can see on Sunday afternoons. He’s the guy you see hanging out with Jake from State Farm, trading jabs with Troy Polamalu in a shampoo ad and endorsing a host of products during the commercial breaks.
And if that seems weird to you, imagine how it feels for him.
“It’s still surreal,” Mahomes said. “It’s still weird whenever I’m just talking to my (fiancee, Brittany Matthews), and I hear my voice in the background. It’s a cool deal.”
Over the course of a three-hour football game — whether the Chiefs are involved in it or not — it’s hard to miss Mahomes on commercials. State Farm, Head & Shoulders, Hy-Vee, Nebraska Furniture Mart, CommunityAmerica, Goodcents, Hunts, Oakley, DirecTV, Madden, Amazon, and we’ve almost certainly left a few out. Might we be surprised by some new ones in the playoffs?
For now, we’ll rank our favorites, though with a caveat. Each brand can only secure one spot in our top-five list, which, let’s face it, still gives us plenty from which to choose. So here goes:
5. DirecTV
Mahomes prepares to call a play — “Red Right Flex 22 Z” — when a 130-pound-soaking-wet guy breaks into the huddle to listen.
“Flex like flex?” the guy asks while pointing at his arms.
“What?” a confused Mahomes says.
It’s a 2019 commercial for a DirecTV discount for college students.
4. State Farm
Mahomes is a regular on the State Farm advertisements. In this particular spot, he’s having a conversation with Jake from State Farm about a discount. But it’s the side activity that steals the show. Mahomes is playing bags and nailing every shot — a no-look toss, a behind-the-back heave, an over the shoulder hook shot.
Good. Good. And good.
The reason we like it? It has a bit of that Bo Knows flavor — implying Mahomes’ otherworldly talents stretch beyond football.
3. Madden NFL 20
It’s the symbolism of this one that really makes a lasting impression. Mahomes graced the cover of Madden 20, and if you’re of a certain age, you can appreciate that significance.
He starred in this commercial, in which a guy is upgrading Mahomes’ arm strength in the video game to “Bazooka.” Mahomes suddenly appears in real life in the living room, says his arm doesn’t feel any different, but then blasts the guy through the wall with a pass that hits him in the chest.
2. Hy-Vee
He’s been in quite a few Hy-Vee spots, but none better than one that shows him unloading groceries. You know, by literally throwing each item into its proper place in the pantry and fridge.
It’s also apparently how he serves dinner.
1. Oakley
It’s the graphics on this 60-second commercial that justify the ranking. They take you into Mahomes’ helmet and show you the game from his point of view. And, well, it’s pretty sweet.
Slow motion. From the snap, to stiff-arming a defender to throwing a pass downfield.
All to the backdrop of “What a Wonderful World.”
Well done.
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 5:00 AM.