With Super Bowl Title Comes Pressure on Mahomes

There's 6:13 left in the game.  You're behind--the opposing team has double the points.  You have 50 years of fans hopes and dreams in your hands.  Can you imagine the pressure that places on the shoulders of a 24-year-old?  And in true Patrick Mahomes style, he led the Kansas City Chiefs to a remarkable win.

I'm rooting for Mahomes--on the football field, but most importantly, I'm cheering him on in this game called life.  How many kids do you know (adults too) who are walking around with Mahomes' name on their backs?  Your name, your reputation, means so much.  It's not just a commercial image thing.  Mahomes has million of shining eyes on him.  The pressure of protecting your character has to be overwhelming.

Mahomes mania really hit home for me when I watched my 11-year-old daughter in the lead-up to the Super Bowl.  Audrey had shown zero interest in football until that point.  On Friday, she told me all she wants in life is to go to a Chief's game.  On Sunday morning, she cut up one of her daddy's undershirts and was painting Patrick Mahomes' name and #15 on her homemade jersey.  I thought it was remarkably sweet.  At the same time, the mom in me was praying that Mahomes will live up to my little girl's idol status.

Some people say that sports figures shouldn't be role models or heroes.  Maybe not, but that doesn't change the fact that they are looked up to by legions of fans.  I think back to Tiger Wood's lowest moments.  He inspired kids all over the globe.  In the end though, his character was not something I would want my children to emulate.

So far, so good for Pat Mahomes.  He says the right things, he's a man of faith, he just seems like a great young man.  I'm rooting for him to live up to the character that a momma can take pride in.