Patrick Mahomes says while awaiting contract, he is ‘focused on football’

On Friday, Forbes.com published a profile of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Written by Forbes sports business reporter Kurt Badenhausen, it focused on the whirlwind the Super Bowl MVP has been through since his team won its first championship in 50 years — congratulatory texts from over 400 well-wishers (including Peyton Manning, Brett Favre and Troy Polamalu), the inevitable trip to Disney World, the victory parade in Kansas City and numerous inquiries from companies seeking endorsement deals.

“Football is first,” said Mahomes, “but I want to maximize the opportunities I have and keep building my brand,” noting that he believes one of the qualities he can offer potential advertising partners is his relatability. “I’ve been the same person since I was in third grade. I want anyone to feel like they can approach me.”

That might become more difficult once he is as rich everyone expects him to soon become. Facing an offseason where he could be signed to a contract extension that could dwarf any ever offered to an NFL player, Mahomes told Badenhausen he doesn’t worry about it.

“I understand the position I’m in. I have a great team and organization around me. I’ll focus on doing my part on the field. Whenever the deal needs to get done, it will get done. I’m focused on football and winning as many championships as possible in Kansas City.”

This echoes a point that Chiefs owner Clark Hunt made during Super Bowl week — that while the team considers getting a deal done with Mahomes its highest personnel priority, it’s possible it might not happen during the coming offseason.

“There will be a right time sometime in the next 12 to 15 months to extend Patrick,” Hunt told ESPN. “And when I say ‘right time,’ I mean right time for both the player and the club.

”I don’t want to say necessarily it has to be this offseason,” he added, “but I will say that it’s a priority to get him done.”