If a kid grows up with a parent who was an athlete growing up -- say, for instance, a member of a college or high school varsity sports team -- it can put a lot of pressure on him/her to follow that lead. The same goes for any siblings who may be thriving in a certain sport. I imagine it would be tough, under those circumstances, to not feel pressured to also showcase your athleticism to be like the rest of the family.
So, put yourself in the shoes of Jackson Mahomes. His father was a pitcher in the major leagues for over a decade. His godfather, LaTroy Hawkins, was an even better major league pitcher, lasting for over 20 years in the bigs. And his brother was a three-sport high school athlete, regarded as one of the top quarterback and pitching prospects in the country, and just inked, oh, a casual $503 million deal to become the first American professional athlete ever to have that large a contract.
No pressure, Jackson.
But while Jackson Mahomes may not have half a billion dollars at his disposal, he does have over half a million loyal followers on TikTok, and he's embraced his differences from several members of his family. In fact, those differences are now the theme of his new clothing brand.
My merch is officially LIVE! Head to https://t.co/PWMpL0FM5k to shop the full collection. #UNATHLETIC pic.twitter.com/fAVlgft5Uw
— Jackson Mahomes (@jacksonmahomes) September 10, 2020
It wasn't easy to get to this point, though. He said that though he played basketball growing up, he wasn't 'in love with it' and that, before TikTok came around, he was lonely and unsure of what his future held.
"I found my most confident self when I realized that it's okay to be unathletic," Jackson said, explaining the idea behind his new company. "Growing up, in everything I did, it was always like, 'Oh, look, it's Patrick Mahomes' brother.' But 'Jackson from TikTok' means a lot to me because it was the first time in my life... that I was known not as just 'Patrick Mahomes' brother' but as 'Jackson from TikTok.'
"I'll never forget the first time I was at a football game or at a store and people came up to me noticing me as 'Jackson from TikTok' and not as 'Patrick Mahomes' brother.' "
You can see the whole video revealing his merchandise and the brand's back story below.
The website where his merchandise is available can be found here.
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