Patrick Mahomes' retirement plans remain intact despite insults about his dad bod
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for another run at the Lombardi Trophy in 2025 after falling short of a three-peat at Super Bowl LIX. The back-to-back champions were halted in their quest for history by the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans, but Mahomes’ legacy remains firmly intact. Even in defeat, the Chiefs quarterback has cemented himself as the face of the NFL’s newest dynasty.
At just 29 years old, Mahomes has built a résumé most players could only dream of. He’s a three-time Super Bowl champion, two-time league MVP, and has led the NFL in touchdown passes on multiple occasions. In just eight seasons, Mahomes has thrown 245 touchdowns and guided the Chiefs to an 89-23 record over 112 starts. With that kind of production, it’s no surprise that people are already asking how long Mahomes intends to keep playing.
Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, Mahomes made it clear that he’s nowhere near done.
“I want to play as long as they let me play,” he told reporters. “As long as I can play and still have success – I don’t want to hurt the football team – and then I want to make sure I’m not hurting my family.”
Mahomes envisions a decade more, brushes off ‘dad bod’ critics
Mahomes referenced his father, Pat Mahomes Sr., as part of his motivation to stay in the league as long as possible, so long as he can balance the demands of football with being present for his children.
“I want to still be around when my kids are getting older, just like my dad did with me. I always remember those moments,” he said.
“I want to get to 39 at least. Especially if I’m still playing [at a high level], then I’m going to be on the field. Who knows how long I’ll play, we’ll see when we get there. But I’m going to try and keep my body in shape and prepare myself so I that I can play football for as long as I can.”
Interestingly, despite his emphasis on health and longevity, Mahomes has faced criticism this offseason-not about his performance, but his appearance. Kansas City radio host Kevin Kietzman took aim at Mahomes’ physique, dubbing him an “embarrassment” in a recent podcast episode.
“Vacation photos are popping up of Patrick Mahomes and he’s fat,” Kietzman said. “I’m going to say it and I’m going to tell you the truth. That’s why you hit the play button. He’s an embarrassment. You’re a $500 million quarterback… Dude, you’re fat. Your belly would be fat at my pool hanging out with us 60-year-olds. My skin is as flabby as yours. I get it. Stop the fast food. Do a situp. Do something.”
While the remarks went viral for all the wrong reasons, fans and teammates rushed to Mahomes’ defense. His personal trainer also clapped back at Kietzman online, defending the quarterback’s work ethic and physical preparation heading into the 2025 season.
“Send me your location,” he said in a now-deleted X post.
“You obviously need attention. If you want to see what in shape is — go make it through a practice at Saint Jo or run hurry up offense scrambling back to back to back plays. You don’t have a clue what it takes. It’s not a look, it’s performance.”