As Caitlin Clark Made SNL Debut, ‘Scarred’ Patrick Mahomes Ditched the Show Due to ESPYs’ Bad Experience

Did you know that Patrick Mahomes has a strange type of fear when it comes to public speaking? Although he is undeniably skilled on the gridiron, matters change when he has a mic in hand. However, Caitlin Clark, who made her debut on Saturday Night Live, looked pretty comfortable for a beginner. In an interview with Time, the 3x Super Bowl MVP, after being added to the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World, opened up about not feeling comfortable reading in public.

That’s why fans do notice the superstar QB take the stage during press meets and other events, but it is just that he doesn’t particularly enjoy reading in front of an audience. The most staggering detail that came forth from the interview was that Mahomes ditched the Saturday Night Live show because of the same. The SNL monologue especially involves reading a script and if not cue cards, teleprompters with pointers are used. Now, to understand this unusual fear, especially at Mahomes’ level, it is salient to understand his “still scarred” and “bad experience” at the ESPYs.

In 2023, Mahomes delivered a speech after winning the award for best male athlete. He looked nervous as he said, “It was an incredible season, many ups, many downs. I have to thank my teammates, my coaches, basically just making me look good. I’m the quarterback, I just throw the ball and they make it all work.“

He also expressed gratitude for his family, including his wife Brittany and their children Sterling and Bronze. While the speech looked wholesome and full of emotions, Mahomes, later on, unfolded his intimidating encounter with a teleprompter at ESPY and his hesitation to embrace similar opportunities. In the light of the same, Patrick Mahomes told Sean Gregory,“ I have a little bit of a fear with the teleprompter.” However, this was not the first time he had faced trouble with a teleprompter.

When Mahomes appeared on the New Heights podcast along with Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, in a segment they talked about Travis’ blackout moment at one of the ESPYs. That’s when Mahomes shared the incident where he had to go and stage a read a little story as a sign of respect to the firefighters in LA, who were ceasing fires when the Chiefs were playing against the Rams. He said that because he wanted it to be perfect he had practiced all night looking at the mirror and was all prepared.

Then when Mahomes stepped on the stage and started talking, he was a little puzzled as to where to make eye contact and ended up looking at a teleprompter. He said, “I’m reading I’m doing great and I see SO and I’m like and for all the firefighters out there in ‘South Carolina’. My bad, Southern California now ever since then I’m terrified of teleprompters…” Though he corrected himself immediately, that incident was unforgettable for Mahomes.

Surprisingly, he isn’t the only famous sports entity to encounter this strange fear. Despite his impact on the golf world, Tiger Woods also suffered from a similar issue. The intensity of the nerves before any public speaking event was so much for the golf legend that he would usually fall asleep talking to his dog the night before the event in order to practice repeatedly, per Virtual Orator. 

Now, while these famous, influential sports stars might have a fear to conquer in their manner, the rising star Caitlin Clark falls on the opposite end of the spectrum. She recently took the opportunity once ditched by none other than Chiefs QB Mahomes.

SNL appearance on Caitlin Clark’s bucket list

Despite their opposite experiences in public speaking, Clark and Mahomes are both thriving in their respective field. Fans continue to anticipate their next big step as the new season approaches.