Since Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes first made himself known in the NFL's landscape, every single major accomplishment has been made to sound more impressive in the context of his youth. At 23 years old, he set the league on fire, won the MVP and took his team to the AFC Championship Game. One year later, at 24, he brought Kansas City its first Lombardi Trophy in 50 years and won the Super Bowl MVP.
That constant praise that comes with doing so well at so young an age naturally continued when Mahomes announced Tuesday that he would become a part owner of Major League Baseball's Kansas City Royals. The quarterback is far from the first athlete to become an owner, and he certainly won't be the last, but he stands out at becoming one at just 24 years old.
How does Mahomes stack up to other athletes that became team owners? Here are some of the youngest to do it:
- Aaron Rodgers, Milwauke Bucks: The Packers quarterback became a part of the local NBA team's ownership group, news that became official in between quarters of a playoff game the Bucks had against the Celtics in 2018. He was 34 at the time of the announcement.
- Steve Nash, Vancouver Whitecaps: Nash had been one of the NBA's most vocal soccer fans and he put his money where his mouth was in 2008, when joined the push to bring Vancouver to MLS. He was 34 at the time and has been an owner ever since.
- Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins: Just two years after announcing his retirement from hockey, Lemieux's bid for ownership of the Penguins was approved. He was 33 at the time, and he even returned to the ice after the move was made, completing his NHL comeback at the end of 2000.
- Kevin Durant, Philadelphia Union: Earlier this year, it was announced that Durant joined the Union ownership group "as an investor and community partner," per a team statement. He bought the 5 percent ownership stake in the MLS club at 31 years old.
- James Harden, Houston Dynamo & Dash: Harden joined the ownership group of the MLS and NWSL squads in the city he has called home since 2012. He was 29 at the time the announcement was made.
- Serena and Venus Williams, Miami Dolphins: The famed sibling superstars in tennis became the first female African-Americans to hold an ownership stake in an NFL franchise in 2009. Serena was 27 and Venus was 29 at the time of their purchase.
- Yao Ming, Shanghai Sharks: The Basketball Hall of Famer bought the team where he began his professional career in 2009 during a time when they were dealing with financial troubles. Yao was 28 at the time of the sale.
- LeBron James, Liverpool FC: The Lakers star bought a 2 percent stake in the newly crowned Premier League champions in 2011 -- back when its title drought felt like a long and arduous hell the club would never escape from. Given the recent success of the club, it's safe to say the investment he made at 26 has certainly paid off.
- Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr., Angel City FC: While not (yet) a professional athlete, the daughter of Serena Williams and Reddit co-founder and venture capitalist Alexis Ohaniand became a part owner of of the NWSL's Los Angeles expansion team: Angel City FC. At just 2 years old, Olympia is by far the youngest name not just in the ownership group of that club, but also on this list.
