Jackson Mahomes Continues to be a Problem for NFL Fans

Photo by Solen Feyissa on Unsplash

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is on top of the world after his recent Super Bowl victory – and so is his little brother Jackson.  

Patrick Mahomes seems untouchable in the NFL. In the past four years, he has been to three out of four Super Bowls and claimed victory twice. Mahomes is a two-time NFL MVP recipient and one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the NFL. Despite his successful career, fans argue that his one imperfection is his brother. 

Jackson Mahomes has become one of the most hated figures in the NFL since 2020 when he began posting videos on TikTok. Some of these videos consist of dance trends, his ab workouts and videos featuring his brother. The rise of TikTok has normalized these kinds of posts, so what is the issue exactly?

NFL fans have labeled the 22-year-old TikTok influencer as a disruption to Patrick Mahomes’ success. It is difficult to separate the brothers when social media plays such a substantial role. In other words, when Patrick Mahomes is present, Jackson Mahomes is likely in his shadow.

Dr. Amanda Damiano, Professor of Communications and Director of the Social Media Center at Marist, spoke about the significance that Jackson Mahomes has had on his brother’s reputation. “What you do when you’re in the public life as a public figure is contingent upon your actions as well as the people around you… social media adds one more layer of complexity if you have a sibling that’s doing something lackluster or not appealing.”

The lack of appeal stems from much more than his TikTok videos. Jackson Mahomes has been involved in a number of controversies since stepping into the spotlight. These controversies include pouring water on Baltimore Ravens fans and dancing on former Washington Commander safety Sean Taylor’s retired number after he passed away. 

When you add hard evidence to the mix, Jackson Mahomes' behavior becomes much more difficult to defend if you’re Patrick Mahomes. If you’re Patrick Mahomes, you can guarantee that someone will be questioning you. 

Zachary Arth, Professor of Sports Communications and Assistant Director of the Center for Sports Communications, shared his opinion on this controversy. “It’s a question that Patrick Mahomes has to answer. He wouldn’t have to answer it otherwise if his brother wasn’t doing obnoxious things. I think the bigger problem is that he always has to answer things about what his brother is doing and that’s taking away from himself and his career.” 

While Patrick Mahomes has been asked about his brother on multiple occasions, NFL fans have taken it upon themselves to answer the questions themselves. NFL fans have mocked Jackson Mahomes’ TikToks, calling them cringy, insulting his voice and even going as far as to question his sexuality. 

This raises a large issue: are the NFL fans who mock Jackson Mahomes uncomfortable with him bandwagoning off his brother's success, or are they uncomfortable with his effeminacy? For decades, the NFL has been seen as the epitome of a man — who he is, what he values and what he looks like. 

The NFL wrote the script for their ideal man and to welcome someone who is unlike any other character in the industry is uncharted territory. The comments on Jackson Mahomes TikTok, such as calling him Patrick’s sister or referring to him as Jackson “Mahomo,” prove that the NFL and its fans are not welcoming him with open arms.

Jim Donofrio is the vice president of sales and strategic partnerships at NBC and has worked closely with the NFL. He said, “I wouldn’t characterize the NFL as a league. I would look at it as a small number of ignorant fans that are unfortunately saying a lot of stuff…sometimes it’s a smaller voice that gets the louder message.”