NFL NEWS:Ex-Kansas City Chiefs Teammate Calls Out Patrick Mahomes For Holiday PR Stunt

NFL NEWS:Ex-Kansas City Chiefs Teammate Calls Out Patrick Mahomes For Holiday PR Stunt

Kansas City Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes made headlines on Thursday when he hooked up his offensive linemen with an absolutely incredible holiday gift package. The bundles, which cost thousands of dollars per player, included Yeti coolers, Normatec Elite leg compressors, Rolex watches, Lucchese boots, Oakley shades, WHOOP bands and Adidas gear.

But one of Mahomes’ former teammates, who previously received holiday gifts from Mahomes, isn’t so excited about how it all went down this time around.

Mitchell Schwartz played left tackle for the Chiefs from 2016 until he retired in 2020. In that span, he was a four-time All-Pro and helped lead KC to victory over the 49ers in Super Bowl 54. Schwartz, who seemingly had a good bond with Mahomes as his blindside protector, doesn’t mind the gift giving. What he does mind, however, is how public it has all become.

Gift giving from quarterbacks to offensive lineman isn’t anything new. In 2018, Dak Prescott gifted Ezekiel Elliott and his offensive linemen customized scooters. But Schwartz believes the gifts are meant to be personal, as a show of the bond between a QB his lineman. As far as he sees it, all the promotion just makes it an additional advertisement for all the brands that Mahomes represents, rather than a heartfelt, thoughtful gift.

Now, does that make the Rolex watches any less financially valuable? Of course not. But it’s easy to see why players would want to keep stuff like that private. Being a championship-winning football team is as much to do with the bond in the locker room as it is anything else. And gestures like gift giving, without anyone knowing, is a sign of that bond.

So, did Mahomes do anything wrong? Of course not. But Schwartz has a valid reason to feel upset about how it all played out.