Patrick Mahomes was once a two-sport star in baseball and football, giving up the diamond for the gridiron during his time at Texas Tech. The decision to concentrate on football led to Mahomes becoming a first-round pick, two-time NFL MVP, and three-time Super Bowl MVP with the Kansas City Chiefs -- having one of the greatest starts to a career for any player in NFL history.
Even with the quest to become the greatest player to ever wear an NFL uniform, Mahomes still has that baseball itch. Given his father, Pat Mahomes, was a major league pitcher and Patrick is a part owner of the Kansas City Royals, it makes sense Mahomes would be willing to give Major League Baseball a shot.
"I've talked to the Royals," Mahomes said in his interview with Time Magazine on being one of the magazine's 100 Most Influential People. "And if I can maybe go out to a spring training, I'm not opposed to that.
"I'll get it approved by the Chiefs and everything like that. But maybe one of these years I go out there and see what I got. See if I can still hit the ball or pitch or whatever that is. Maybe not in the games but I can at least practice with them."
The baseball connection is strong with Mahomes, as his father pitched 11 seasons in the major leagues for six different teams. He even pitched for the New York Mets in the 1999 National League Championship Series, as Mahomes grew up around the clubhouse.
Mahomes was drafted in the 37th round by the Detroit Tigers before deciding to play both football and baseball at Texas Tech (he was recruited for both). He actually intended to play both sports for three years, then go back into the MLB Draft, but success with football and the wear down of both sports in his freshman year drove him back to the gridiron.
The rest is history.
Mahomes still wants to give baseball a shot, even if it's just a few spring training practices. He has Chiefs head coach Andy Reid's approval, but on one condition.
"He was a heck of a baseball player," Reid said. "He grew up around it. I'm sure he can play in the major leagues. I mean, he's pretty gifted.
"He'd have to take me as a manager."
