KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — As thousands of fans gear up to cheer on their Chiefs, one fan from Texas has been cheering on quarterback Patrick Mahomes for years, even before he ever picked up a football.
Randi Mahomes, Patrick’s mother, is “the” original Mahomie, and probably the one person Chiefs’ fans should thank for Patrick wearing the red and the gold.
“I knew when it came to sports he was going to be able to reach whatever level he wanted,” she told FOX4’s Kathy Quinn in an exclusive one-on-one interview.
But Randi said football wasn’t his first choice.
“Before his junior year in high school he came to me that summer wanting to quit football, but I just said you`re going to regret it if you quit,” she told him.
Randi said her son has never been a quitter. He is always striving to win and never a show off.
Number 15 has always been a team player except when he occasionally got benched—by mom.
“I had to ground him from practicing when he got in trouble as a kid,” she said.
And Randi added that he never liked to be the center of attention.
“He`s really a private person. He was always a good kid I will say,” she told FOX4.
She also said he was always good to other kids, which is why she wasn’t surprised his foundation “15 and the Mahomies ” donated $15,000 to buy equipment for an inclusive playground at Children’s Mercy Hospital, a charity close to Randi’s heart.
Patrick is the oldest of his siblings. His brother, Jackson, is 19 and his sister, Mia, is 8.
“I used to tell Patrick and Jackson to find a kid at school–I`m not saying to go pick every kid–find one that just seems to sit by themselves or something, say, ‘Hi,’ every single day,” Randi said.
She also said she tried to keep her kids grounded with family time as a top priority.
“I am proud of the football, but the family part of it–I’m way more proud and that`s something that I definitely don`t get enough of,” she said.
Randi said she doesn’t look at her son any differently than she does her other children.
“I don`t think it`s really hit me because he’s still my son,” she said. “He is still Patrick, and my other two are still my kids. I don`t look at him any differently today than I did five years ago.”
But number 15 is different, and Randi said she is slowly getting used to the idea, but she added Patrick will always be her baby, her first-born.
“I am very, very proud,” Randi said. “I always say were blessed. He`s blessed to be able to do his dream– to live doing exactly what he loves.”