RM Patrick Mahomes’ Unusual Reaction to Broncos’ Winning Touchdown Sparks Online Debate
The Kansas City Chiefs are currently enduring their longest losing streak in over a decade. Their recent 20-13 defeat to the Denver Broncos on Christmas Night marked their fifth consecutive loss, a streak not seen since the 2012 season, which was 13 years ago.
Back in 2012, the Chiefs were under the leadership of head coach Romeo Crennel during his one and only full season. That year, Travis Kelce was playing for the University of Cincinnati, and Patrick Mahomes was a sophomore in high school at Whitehouse High in Texas, still years away from becoming the NFL star he is today.
Since then, the Chiefs have had their ups and downs, but it was a painful moment for them when they lost to Denver despite a strong performance by practice squad quarterback Chris Oladokun, who only managed 66 passing yards on 22 attempts.
Mahomes Watches From the Box
Due to injury, Mahomes was not on the field but instead watched the game from a suite at Arrowhead Stadium. During the broadcast, Amazon Prime cameras frequently focused on Mahomes’ reactions to the action below. One of these moments, however, caused a stir among fans.
The Controversial Smile
With 1:45 left in the fourth quarter and the game tied at 13-13, Broncos quarterback Bo Nix threw a short pass to running back RJ Harvey for a one-yard touchdown that would ultimately decide the game. As Denver celebrated their game-winning score, Mahomes’ response caught many off guard.
The cameras captured Mahomes smiling in what many perceived as an inappropriate moment, given the significance of the loss for the Chiefs.
Fans React with Disbelief
The reaction on social media was swift and critical. Some Chiefs fans expressed confusion and disappointment, questioning Mahomes’ emotional response to the Chiefs’ misfortune.
“Mahomes smiling after the Broncos scored? Is he done in KC?” one user posted on X (formerly Twitter).
Others were more critical, arguing that Mahomes should have been more emotionally invested in the game’s outcome, especially from his suite. One social media user wrote, “What a shame that their star quarterback isn’t down on the field cheering and motivating his team. Instead, he’s up in his cozy private suite.”
There were even comments suggesting that Mahomes’ legacy was on the line due to the defeat: “That throw saved his legacy. Mahomes couldn’t beat Denver in a must-win game with a full roster. Imagine if the practice squad guy pulled it off with that supporting cast.”
Online Backlash Grows
The moment quickly went viral, with a video of Mahomes’ smile accumulating thousands of likes and shares. As of Friday morning, the Savage Sports account’s post had over 4,700 likes and more than 270 bookmarks.
Despite the backlash, it seems this unusual reaction has only fueled more debate about Mahomes and his demeanor during such a crucial game. Whether or not this moment will affect his standing with fans remains to be seen, but it certainly didn’t go unnoticed.
