Why are Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes hated by NFL fans? Reasons for growing animosity towards Chiefs stars explored
Buckle up. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are in the Super Bowl, chasing their third ring in five years. The Kansas City Chiefs overcame the odds, all through the 2023 NFL season, and are in the hunt for their fourth Lombardi Trophy.
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce’s team has grown in popularity through the entirety of the 2023 season. Not so much because of their on-field dominance this year, but because of everything that’s happened outside of football. Namely, Taylor Swift.
With growing popularity and attention comes more scrutiny and animosity. The two Kansas City Chiefs stars have been on the receiving end of a lot of heat from fans this season. Fans have grown tired of the Chiefs, particularly Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes. But why? Let’s try to understand.
Patrick Mahomes is the closest threat to Tom Brady’s legacy
Kansas City Chiefs v Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The animosity from the fans towards Patrick Mahomes comes from different audiences. One such market is those who believe the two-time Super Bowl champion is a threat to Tom Brady’s legacy.
Brady dominated the NFL for 23 years, until the age of 44, winning seven Super Bowls, and cementing his place as the greatest of all time. Come to think of it, had Brady not achieved this feat, it sounds unfathomable to do.
Patrick Mahomes is right on track. He is 28 years old and is about to play in his fourth Super Bowl in five years. The Chiefs quarterback has won two rings. He can do everything Brady couldn’t, from moving outside the pocket smoothly to making gun-slinging throws.
Patrick Mahomes has had more success than Tom Brady in the first six years of their respective NFL careers and the stats back it up.
Can Mahomes catch up to Brady? Maybe. Maybe not. On Sunday, Mahomes will be chasing his third Lombardi Trophy.
Many have already hailed him as the greatest. Given the success Mahomes has had and the best years that lie ahead of him, the animosity and the frustration from fans have to be noted.
How much of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce is too much?
Los Angeles Chargers v Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce are the two biggest names in football right now. They play for the winningest franchise in the last five years. They have eyeballs everywhere they go. This is an opportunity for marketers and advertisers to swoop in.
One of the major sources of earning avenues for athletes is via commercials. They try to maximize their name and fame to make the most of it during their playing days. It’s good for the athlete. But what if it goes overboard? And how much is overboard?
Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce occupy the top two spots among any other celebrity to feature in commercials during the NFL season, The Wall Street Journal reported through the data collected from iSpot.
Travis Kelce leads the list, starring in 375 commercials during the NFL season, followed by Patrick Mahomes, who has appeared in 341 advertisements. The third place is far from being close. Occupied by Kevin Miles, also known as Jake from State Farm, it is 247 commercials.
Fans feel bombarded with Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce and that is definitely something to consider regarding the animosity towards the stars.
The Kansas City Chiefs are just… too good
Harvey Dent, in Batman: The Dark Knight, had one of the most iconic lines of all time – “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
This couldn’t be more true and apt for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Ever since Patrick Mahomes made his first start for the Chiefs in 2018, they have been unstoppable. They are 74-22 with Mahomes under center. They’ve made six straight trips to AFC Conference Games and won four. Patrick Mahomes, while putting up sensational stats, has led the Chiefs to two Super Bowl wins in this period. They are the new dynasty in the league.
Travis Kelce, on the other hand, has been sensational in this stretch. The Chiefs TE had five straight 1000-yard seasons since 2018. He missed out this year by 16 yards, after deciding to rest in the final regular season game.
Kelce has 600 receptions, 7,428 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns in the last six seasons in the regular season. His postseason stats speak for itself – 133 receptions, 1516 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns.
Fans are growing tired of the Chiefs running through every single team in the NFL. Can you blame them? Patrick Mahomes has embraced this villain role.
There is a price for winning. And maybe the price for the Chiefs’ success is the animosity and hostility from fans. Just ask Tom Brady, who led the greatest dynasty in all of football, the Patriots, for 20 years.
