Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says he will not endorse anybody for president

‘I don’t want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way,’ the NFL star said during a press conference

Amber Raiken
New York
Thursday 12 September 2024 11:57 EDT
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says he will not endorse anybody for president
Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes says he will not endorse anybody for president (Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Patrick Mahomes has revealed that he will not endorse Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, after the republican nominee praised the quarterback’s wife, Brittany Mahomes, for supporting his campaign.

The 28-year-old Kansas City Chiefs said he won’t be speaking publicly about his political views during a press conference for his team on September 11, as reported by CNN.

“I don't want my place and my platform to be used to endorse a candidate or do whatever, either way," he said. "I think my place is to inform people to get registered to vote. It's to inform people to do their own research and then make the best decision for them and their family.”

The three-time Super Bowl champion was then asked about his name being mentioned within the political space, after his wife raised eyebrows for liking an Instagram post about Trump’s campaign. However, according to Patrick, he doesn’t judge his loved ones for their political views.

“I’ve grown up with people from every aspect of life and every background. I think the best thing about a football locker room, and kind of how I’ve grown up in baseball locker rooms is people can come together and achieve something and achieve a common goal,” he said. “I think if we can do that as a nation, I think we can get the best out of each other. I think that’s something that I do every single day. Whenever I’m hanging out with whoever, I’m not thinking about their political views or anything like that,” he explained.

Following Brittany’s activity on social media, the former president applauded her online. “I want to thank beautiful Brittany Mahomes for so strongly defending me, and the fact that MAGA is the greatest and most powerful Political Movement in the History of our now Failing Country,” Trump wrote.

Trump’s post also sparked speculation that Brittany and Patrick were feuding with Taylor Swift, who’s dating Travis Kelce and has been vocal about her support for Democrats. However, those rumors were shut down when the group of four attended the US Open on September 8.

When asked if he had any feelings about Trump mentioning Brittany, Patrick declined to comment on that. “No. I think at the end of the day, it’s about me and my family and how we treat other people,” he said during the press conference on September 11. “I think you see that Brittany does a lot in the community. I do a lot in the community to help bring people up and give people other opportunities to use their voice.”

Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Brittany Mahomes, and Patrick Mahomes at US Open on September 8
Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Brittany Mahomes, and Patrick Mahomes at US Open on September 8 (Getty Images)

Patrick’s remarks come one day after Swift shared a lengthy Instagram message – alongside a photo of herself and her cat, Benjamin Button – to endorse Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 US presidential election.

“I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them. I think she is a steady-handed, gifted leader and I believe we can accomplish so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos,” the “Fortnight” singer wrote in the post, shared right after the Presidental debate between Trump and Harris. “I was so heartened and impressed by her selection of running mate @timwalz, who has been standing up for LGBTQ+ rights, IVF, and a woman’s right to her own body for decades.”

Swift also made a reference to recent AI-generated images of herself “falsely endorsing” Trump for president – which the former president had reposted to his social media platform, Truth Social. The post had included an AI image of Swift, dressed as Uncle Sam, encouraging voters to endorse Trump. Other pictures showed young women with T-shirts reading “Swifties for Trump.”

“It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” Swift continued. “It brought me to the conclusion that I need to be very transparent about my actual plans for this election as a voter. The simplest way to combat misinformation is with the truth.”

In an apparent jab at Trump’s running mate, JD Vance, the Grammy winner signed off her post with: “Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in