One measure of Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes’ popularity can be found in ... obituaries
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Obituaries nationwide cite Patrick Mahomes as a meaningful personal influence.
- Families across rival-team territories include Mahomes in various remembrances.
- Fans cite Mahomes’ style, leadership, image and big plays as reasons to honor him.
Black and gold flags flitter in the wind in Brackenridge, Pennsylvania, attached to homes with a Terrible Towel likely somewhere inside. Friends in town undoubtedly discuss Mike Tomlin’s decisions over Iron City beers.
The city in the northeast suburbs of Pittsburgh is ground zero for Steelers Country, where passions run deep. That’s been the case for the Harclerode family, which for decades had never thought of cheering for another team.
But something changed in 2018 with the matriarch of the family. To the surprise of her four kids, Jo Ann Harclerode suddenly began supporting Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“We always grew up Steeler fans, our family, our entire extended family, everybody. We live about 20 minutes north of city proper of Pittsburgh,” said son Joe Harclerode. “I don’t know what it was. His very first year he came into the league, she was like, ‘I really like this guy, he just seems like a really good-hearted person.’ And that was just the way my mom was. She volunteered and did a lot of things for other people.
“And so after that, the Steelers were out the window, and she bought the Patrick Mahomes gear. Every Sunday there was a game, she had it on. She wouldn’t even watch Steeler games anymore if she could get the Kansas City games here locally.”
Mahomes was such a big part of her life that when Jo Ann Harclerode died on Aug. 9, the family made a point of including the Chiefs quarterback in the obituary.
She loved sports, and for some reason she became a fan of Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. While normally she was the voice of reason and logic, this may have been one of only a handful of lapses in her judgment. Go Steelers!!!!!
It was a fun and sweet tribute to Jo Ann from her family, but it wasn’t out of the ordinary. Since Mahomes became the Chiefs’ starting quarterback, dozens of obituaries around the country have mentioned him by name.
Some of those remembrances were for people who lived in the Kansas City area or Texas, where Mahomes grew up. But many, like Jo Ann’s, were in the heart of another NFL team’s fan base.
‘Her boyfriend’ Patrick Mahomes
There is no blueprint for writing an obituary, but the family member chosen to share a few words makes a concerted effort to include their loved one’s passions. People have taken the time to include some sweet mentions of Mahomes’ impact on their relative.
For instance, when Ursula Hackethal passed away on April 10 in New York City, her family shared this in her obituary:
Ursula was particularly fond of reading, her NY Times Crosswords, the FDNY, Al Pacino, Tom Selleck, and of course, Patrick Mahomes – lovingly referred to as “her boyfriend.”
Denise McConnell had called North Carolina her home for more than five decades before her death on July 18, 2024.
That’s Panthers territory, but McConnell’s obituary included this: She was a passionate and vocal fan of sports, especially her boy, Patrick Mahomes of the KC Chiefs and the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame.
Doris Marinelli was born one day before Elvis Presley and was an ardent fan of The King. But before her passing on June 15, 2024, Marinelli had become enamored with Mahomes, despite living in Pennsylvania.
As her obituary noted: “She liked the Pittsburgh Steelers, loved T.J. Watt, but adored Patrick Mahomes.”
Bonding over Mahomes
John Mellencamp once sang about a man who worked his whole life in the steel mills near Gary, Indiana. While he wasn’t the subject of the Mellencamp song, “Minutes to Memories,” that was true of Paul Whitehurst, who died in 2023 in Indianapolis.
Whitehurst’s obituary noted his 45 years of work at the LTV Steel Mill and his favorite sports teams.
He was a lifetime fan of the Chicago Bears, Chicago Cubs, Purdue and Notre Dame. Patrick Mahomes was his GOAT, and we all are thankful he was able to witness the Chiefs win the Super Bowl.
“When Patrick Mahomes hit the scene, he was immediately hooked,” his daughter, Amy Whitehurst, told The Star. “I think it had to do with his style of play and his talent, of course. He was exciting, thought outside of the box, created plays that you would never think could be completed. He was quick on his feet and could make magic outside of the pocket.
“It was that never knowing what he was going to do that kept us hooked. It was also the way he commanded the team and created unity, elevating everyone to a higher potential.”
Mahomes was playing on a gimpy ankle in the postseason in 2023, but he still led the Chiefs to a 38-35 win over the Eagles.
Less than three weeks after the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy, Paul Whitehurst passed away. That last game will forever be a special memory for Amy Whitehurst.
“Sports bonded my father and me,” she told The Star. “There’d be times I’d call him at 11 p.m. after an amazing ending to a game or an awesome play or terrible call. His health was rapidly declining, so when Kansas City was in the 2023 Super Bowl, I made sure I was with him and my mom. It is a great memory and probably one of the reasons I included it in his obituary.”
Da Bears also were the favorite team for Barbara Moretti of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After she died in September, this was part of the obituary:
... although a lifelong Bears fan, her fan crush on Patrick Mahomes (She’d yell “MAHOMES!” whenever he had a great play while wearing her jersey) ...
And when Chicago native Audrey Yacullo passed away a year ago, a love of Mahomes had broken through two fandoms, as her obituary noted.
She has been a huge Denver Broncos and KC Chiefs fan, courtesy of Patrick Mahomes. (Apologies Chicago Bears!)
New England’s new favorite?
Agnes Carey was born in Boston in 1937 and lived her entire life in Massachusetts, where she cheered for one of the great NFL dynasties: the Patriots.
But when Tom Brady left the Patriots, Agnes became enamored with Mahomes, who is part of another dynasty. This apparently didn’t sit well with the at least one family member.
Agnes was an avid Patriots fan and would watch their games on TV until the departure of Tom Brady. She then started rooting for Patrick Mahomes as she felt he was emerging as a great quarterback even though this created quite a disagreement with Mark.
That is Agnes’ son, Mark, whose Facebook page notes he is a guest service representative at Gillette Stadium. That’s the home of the New England Patriots.
Maine is the northern edge of Patriots country, but that didn’t stop Cheryl-Ann Madore from cheering for Mahomes.
After she passed away in 2021, Madore’s obituary noted her support of the Chiefs star.
She worked for the City of Bangor in various departments and was currently employed at the Bangor Police Department. She was a huge Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs fan.
The Patriots were the team for Mary Jane Ducharme of New Bedford, Massachusetts, but before passing away on Feb. 4, another NFL player had stolen her heart. This is from her obituary:
She also loved football and followed the Patriots but most recently fell in love with Patrick Mahomes.
‘That’s part of the allure’
Gerri Kurlej would have seemed to be a prime candidate to dislike the Chiefs. She was born in Buffalo and lived much of her life in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, just a 10-mile drive from Philadelphia.
“It was the Bills, the Eagles, and then she got into the Chiefs for some reason,” Brian Kurlej said of his mother, who passed away in April. “So I think she just liked that he’s likable.”
Brian Kurlej is a proud Eagles fan, and when Philadelphia advanced to Super Bowl LIX for a rematch with the Chiefs, he went to talk with his mother.
“I said, ‘Who are you rooting for, mom?’” he recalled. “She goes, ‘Patrick Mahomes, not the Chiefs and not the Eagles.’ She said she couldn’t care less about the Eagles.”
That’s why Mahomes was mentioned in Gerri Kurlej’s obituary.
After her kids’ days of competitive sports were over, she became a devoted fan of Patrick Mahomes, cheering him on with the same fervor she brought to every aspect of her life.
“I think if I’m going to go through her eyes, like, he comes off as a different quarterback,” Brian Kurlej told The Star. “He’s not arrogant. He’s clean cut. Her son, who passed away, is named Patrick, and the fact that he goes by Patrick was fine. And she just always liked the plays that he made and never did anything that was wrong off the field. So I think that’s part of the allure.”
