As the Bitcoins and NFTs of the world continue to merge their way into our societies, the alternative methods of payment have now caught the eyes of NFL players. Whether it’s Russell Okung negotiating that his 2020 salary be paid in BTC, or Saquon Barkley converting his marketing earnings to crypto, there are now numerous examples of the ever growing intersection between sports stars and technology.
For the premier passer of the league, Patrick Mahomes, this meant getting involved with NFTs. A self-described crypto dabbler, Mahomes has taken on various crypto-related ventures throughout his time in the league.
In a previous sit-down interview with Yahoo! Finance, the three-time Super Bowl champion highlighted his previous project while noting that there is still more to come in the future.
“Well, I did the NFT, the first Museum of Mahomes… That was kind of the first thing that I got into… I’ve kind of worked with different companies and we’re trying to work on something else that can kind of bring light to that. We want to continue to evolve with that… There’s a lot of different people doing NFTs now and I don’t want to do something that’s not great.”
Upon being asked how he discerns between a good business pitch and a bad one, Mahomes explained that he is more focused on the people involved rather than the inherent scaffolding of the pitch itself.
“Honestly, for me, it’s about the people more than it is about the actual pitch. I really try to invest in people more than I try to invest in what they are trying to sell me… If you get the people that are dedicated and that are smart and do it the right way, they can make stuff work.”
Jokingly mentioning that “I think I’ve just turned everything [business investments] into crypto these days,” the pride of Kansas City couldn’t contain his enthusiasm for all things crypto. But it’s not just crypto the sports star invests in.
Mahomes is diversifying his investments in sports by owning stakes in various franchises, including the Kansas City Current, Royals, and Sporting Kansas City, as well as a recent investment in the Alpine Formula One team. But his ultimate goal is much closer to home.
In noting that he enjoys “…investing in the community that invests so much in me,” the part owner of the Kansas City Royals didn’t shy away from the notion of becoming a future owner in the NFL.
“It’s very far away. I know the NFL is probably the hardest one to become an owner in. I want to be a part of sports for my entire life, and obviously I’m not going to be able to play forever. I’m going to find a way to be a part of sports in whatever way possible. If that’s ownership, if that’s coaching or being in the front office, whatever that is, I want to make sure that I’m a part of it.”
Considering that Mahomes is still enjoying the largest contract in NFL history, in addition to his aforementioned investments in crypto, the 29-year-old should have no shortage of options whenever the time comes for him to hang up his cleats. With Tom Brady already having charted this path, becoming a part-owner of the Raiders, Mahomes will find that the process is much easier when he gets to that stage.
