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Body shaming in the NFL doesn’t care about rings, records, or MVPs—it just picks a new target. It went after Travis Kelce in college, calling him “undisciplined” and “out of shape” after a suspension at Cincinnati. Many doubted he’d make it, let alone redefine the tight end position. And now? As the Eagles Super Bowl win is still fresh in fans’ minds, critics have moved on to Patrick Mahomes. The man with the “dad bod” is under fire again for not having six-pack abs, as if legacy lives in your core. Mahomes, who casually threw 50 touchdowns and over 5,000 yards in his first full season, did what only Peyton Manning had done before. He leads the Chiefs in almost every passing stat that matters. Yet here we are—focusing on his waistline instead of his wins.

It started with a swing, a smile, and a family photo. Patrick Mahomes, alongside wife Brittany and their two kids, posed at the 15 and the Mahomies Vegas Golf Classic Gala—a charity golf event meant to raise money, not eyebrows. But on May 18, NFL commentator Dov Kleiman stirred the pot with an X post titled: “Uh Oh: Patrick Mahomes is going viral as fans claim he looks ‘severely out of shape’ at a recent golfing event.” Just like that, a wholesome moment was blitzed by body critics, and Mahomes’s physique—not his philanthropy—dominated headlines.

But Mahomes didn’t have to suit up to clap back—his longtime coach Bobby Stroupe handled the blitz. In a defiant Instagram post, Stroupe posted a pic of Mahomes grinding through offseason training with the caption: “The Fall will tell what the Summer was doing.” Translation? Let the tape speak and wait for September. In the picture, Mahomes was mid-rep, locked in, the anti-viral image to all the couch-side critics.

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A post shared by Bobby Stroupe (@stroupebob)

If anybody is wondering about stats, Mahomes has more than enough. He’s the engine behind three Super Bowl wins, and was named MVP in all of them—LIV, LVII, and LVIII. He’s not just good; he’s generational. No abs? No problem. “The dad bod is real,” Mahomes said months ago. He is well aware of his physical stature and hits the gym on a regular basis. “It gives me the cushion that I need to take the hits… as long as I can keep it in the right areas… I think we’ll be able to make this career last a long time.”

“It kind of surprised me,” Mahomes told Pat McAfee on May 22. “I kind of thought we had the whole dad bod thing out of the way last season… in the playoffs. But I guess people still haven’t realized that I don’t have abs.” And honestly? He never needed them. His wins do the flexing.

Moving on from speculations on Patrick’s body, the next target is his NFL contract. 

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What’s your perspective on:

Why focus on Mahomes' 'dad bod' when his Super Bowl wins do all the talking?

Have an interesting take?

Is Patrick Mahomes facing a contract restructure?

NFL Network’s James Palmer, speaking on Up & Adams with Kay Adams, stirred the pot on the contract buzz. Palmer dropped a key insight: “But I do know that he thinks of things a little bit differently. I think he’ll (Patrick) be completely fine with what’s to come.” 

In a league where quarterback contracts swing like wild deep balls, Patrick Mahomes still holds one of the flashiest deals ever thrown—10 years, $450 million. Signed in 2020, it set the gold standard. The $10 million signing bonus and over $140 million guaranteed were a signal: the kingdom runs through No. 15. But time moves fast in the NFL. Other signal-callers have crept up the money chart. Jared Goff cashed in. Brock Purdy just leapfrogged him. And now? All eyes are on Mahomes again.

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Palmer peeled back the curtain even more. “I would say, we know this contract is so unique compared to every other deal in the NFL, with the length of it, with the terms. The relationship between Patrick and the front office and the constant communication of, Are you happy? Are you good? Where you’re at is very good, and he will always be compensated accordingly.” It’s less about money and more about movement. The Chiefs and Mahomes operate like a championship offense—constant checks at the line, audible trust, built-in timing.

“I think Patrick (Mahomes), like I mentioned the comparison to (Tom) Brady, the amount of money they make off the field they put into account and what they do in terms of hamstringing a team on the field in terms of salary cap,” Palmer said. The Brady comparison isn’t light. It’s legacy stuff. And Mahomes seems to be walking the same path.

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"Why focus on Mahomes' 'dad bod' when his Super Bowl wins do all the talking?"

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