While many NFL enthusiasts would consider Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes the best in his division due to his consistent performance under pressure, his widespread popularity isn’t as overwhelming as one might expect.
Currently, Mahomes and the Chiefs are pursuing the remarkable feat of winning three consecutive Super Bowls, a goal that seems plausible given their recent victory against the San Francisco 49ers.
However, some critics argue that the Chiefs’ success stems from a lack of strong competition in the NFL, suggesting the team is overly reliant on the star power of Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and their solid defense.
During a discussion on NFL on NBC, analysts Mike Florio and Myles Simmons debated whether the Chiefs are the most disliked team in the league. Simmons noted that Mahomes, at 28, has become something of a ‘public enemy’ due to his success.
“He [Mahomes] has made the Kansas City Chiefs so good and he is so good that now it’s gone from ‘oh what a great story, Patrick Mahomes is so good, he is so awesome’, to ‘I am so sick of Patrick Mahomes, I am sick of the Chiefs, I am tired of the Chiefs, I don’t want to see the Chiefs anymore’. That’s what makes him a public enemy,” Simmons explained.
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This sentiment mirrors the past criticisms aimed at Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for their long-standing dominance in the NFL. Embracing his role as the potential villain, Mahomes expressed his perspective in February.
“I can definitely sense it. I never felt like that because I’ve never been like that in my entire life,” Mahomes remarked. “But it’s become a little bit funny. I don’t want to say you enjoy it, I know the Patriots had that for a while. I’m hoping we do it in a different way with a little bit more fun and personality with it. But as long as you keep winning, teams start to not like you, and I want to keep winning.”
He continued, “So if that means some of the other teams and other fan bases aren’t going to like me, I’ll try to still have a smile on my face and not be a bad example, but I can be that villain for them if they need me to be.”
