Patrick Mahomes gave social media a brief mystery Sunday night, and the internet filled in the blanks fast.
Just before Kansas City’s kickoff against the Colts on Sunday Night Football, cameras caught Mahomes tipping back a small bottle in the locker room. On screen, the liquid looked pale and slightly yellow, and that was enough for fans to start guessing.
A clip racing around X was captioned, “Patrick Mahomes chugging vodka before the game 😭.” The reactions came hard and fast, with one fan writing, “Im so happy I wasnt the only one who saw this and went, ‘Wait..is that??’
😂😂” Another jumped in with, “That’s def pickle juice.” One more fan added, “His dad is a bad influence,” while a fourth simply pushed back on the vodka idea: “That’s not vodka…”
The answer, as reporting after the broadcast made clear, was a lot less dramatic than the clip made it seem. Mahomes was drinking pickle juice, something Kansas City’s medical and performance staff have used for years. The high-sodium drink is part of the Chiefs’ broader collection of pregame habits under Andy Reid, and around the NFL it’s known as a cramp-prevention tactic meant to help players avoid muscle issues during intense games.
It also wasn’t the first time Mahomes has been tied to that routine. He has already explained the hydration method before, after teammates were spotted drinking it on the sideline.
The scene fit neatly into a season that has already produced a few viral Mahomes moments. He’s been caught on camera losing his composure over a reporter’s ringtone and in another unexpected angle that set off plenty of reaction online. This one just happened to create a short-lived wave of speculation before the truth came out.
In the end, the camera angle and lighting did the heavy lifting for the confusion. Pickle juice can pass for a clear or pale spirit under bright locker room lights, and that was enough to send fans spinning for a moment. Once the reporting caught up, the mystery bottle turned out to be exactly what Kansas City uses it for: not a pregame scandal, just another Chiefs quirk.
In Other News...
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The bigger draw, though, is the tribute woven into the night. Derrick Johnson will be inducted into the Chiefs Ring of Honor, giving the opener an added layer beyond the matchup itself and putting one of the franchises most respected defenders in the spotlight in front of a home crowd that knows what he meant to the organization. For a fan base that treats Arrowhead as more than just a stadium, Week 1 is shaping up as part kickoff, part celebration, and part reminder of the standard the Chiefs have built around their home field. [Read more 🡒]
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The league did fine Chiefs guard Trey Smith and Broncos linebacker Alex Singleton for separate infractions from the same game, but the Mahomes play was the one that drew the most attention in Kansas City. For the Chiefs, the ruling leaves the original call and the interpretation of the hit intact, even if plenty of fans will still see it as one of those borderline moments that tends to linger long after the final whistle. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Offensive Line Suddenly Faces An Early Test Fans Feared
Josh Simmons back injury has put the Chiefs in an uncomfortable early-season spot, especially because left tackle was already one of the most important jobs on the roster. Kansas City is treating the issue as week-to-week, and with no firm timetable in place, the team is left to manage the position carefully while trying to keep the offense steady in the meantime.
The good news for the Chiefs is that they did not send Simmons to injured reserve, which leaves open the possibility of getting him back within the next few weeks. In the meantime, undrafted tackle Kahlil Benson handled the Week 1 assignment and held up well, giving Kansas City at least one encouraging development as it waits to see how quickly Simmons can get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]