Just before Christmas, Mahomes is clearly feeling the holiday spirit when it comes to the front line responsible for protecting him.
For several years running, the Kansas City Chiefs have made it a priority to invest in the offensive line. Not only are they focused on adding depth up front, but they want quality players to protect the face of their franchise in the starting lineup. Just days before the team’s Week 16 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, Patrick Mahomes is honoring the holiday spirit and taking care of those players.
Multiple Chiefs offensive linemen took to Instagram on Wednesday to thank Mahomes for getting them custom golf carts for Christmas.
As pictured above with Donovan Smith and Creed Humphrey’s posts on their respective stories, the carts have each player’s last name and jersey number on them. The recipients don’t seem to apply to just the initial starting five from this season, either. In a live Instagram video from earlier on Wednesday, linebacker Willie Gay Jr. was riding around in the parking lot outside Arrowhead Stadium with rookie left tackle Wanya Morris driving his brand-new cart.
This isn’t the first time Mahomes has gone golf-specific with his Christmas gift to his O-line. Last year, the two-time MVP winner got TaylorMade golf clubs, custom bags and boxes of golf balls for the entire position group. Many quarterbacks are known to gift items to linemen every year around the holidays and with Mahomes now well-established in the league and on his second contract, he certainly takes care of those responsible for keeping him clean.
Kansas City’s offensive line underwent some changes during the offseason, seeing both starting tackles depart via free agency. Jawaan Taylor and Donovan Smith were brought in to replace them, although an injury to Smith has led to Morris filling in on the left side in recent weeks. The same interior trio of Joe Thuney, Humphrey and Trey Smith remains at left guard, center and right guard.
Entering Week 16, the Chiefs rank second in lowest sack percentage allowed. Part of that is due to Mahomes being elite at avoiding sacks, but his line is also doing a respectable job. With Christmas and the turn of the calendar on the horizon, it’s safe to assume Mahomes notices that.