When the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers meet in Super Bowl LVIII Sunday, the City of Whitehouse, Texas will be celebrating the success of one of its most famous natives. Chiefs Quarterback Patrick Mahomes grew up in Whitehouse and graduated from Whitehouse High School before attending Texas Tech.
Since joining Kansas City in 2017, Mahomes has appeared in three Super Bowls and won twice.
"As he developed as a thrower, he just had such God-given ability with his arm strength," says Adam Cook, who was Mahomes' football coach at Whitehouse High School. "It was very easy to see at a young age this kid could throw the thing."
Cook says he first saw Mahomes when he was in fifth grade and even then, Cook says Mahomes was throwing harder and farther than other kids at the football camp.
Cook says Mahomes had natural ability, but he also developed a strong work ethic. Pat Mahomes Sr played parts of 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, and Cook says that helped Patrick Mahomes learn how professional athletes carry themselves.
"The way they approach the game, study the game, the way they try to perfect their craft, he saw that at an early age, and he mimicked that," Cook says.
Cook says Mahomes was also a strong presence in his clubhouse, helping other players succeed and building camaraderie within the team.
"He would come up to me before or after practice and say, 'Hey coach, it's so-and-so's birthday today,' and so when we've got 160 high school kids together, we're able to sing 'Happy Birthday' to one of the guys," Cook says. "He's just a great leader."
Cook says Mahomes also worked hard academically, saying he stayed "competitive in the classroom just like he is on the football field."
For Sunday's game, Cook stops short of making a prediction for the final score, but he does expect a close game. He says Mahomes has the mindset to lead Kansas City to a game-winning drive if the game is tied late.
Whitehouse, Texas is a city of about 8,300 people ten miles south of Tyler.
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