It goes without saying that the Chiefs will disregard Keitzman’s tirade and let Mahomes to continue winning. Ultimately, the evidence speaks for itself.

A sports radio host’s tirade this week accusing Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes of being “fat” demonstrates why body shaming is an odd practice. Kevin Keitzman became enraged after Mahomes’ wife shared a number of Instagram pictures of the couple celebrating the Fourth of July on a yacht, and he launched into a tirade regarding Patrick Mahomes’ physique: “Photos of Patrick Mahomes on vacation are appearing, and he’s overweight,” Kietzman remarked. “He’s an embarrassment, and I’m going to tell you the truth, which is why you hit the play button.”

You’re a quarterback worth $500 million, and you’ve said things like, “We’re going to do our talking on the field, we got our butts kicked in the Super Bowl, and we’re coming back with a vengeance,” throughout the offseason. “You’re obese, dude. If you were hanging out with us 60-year-olds in my pool, your belly would be fat. I understand that my skin is flabbier than yours. Give up. Put an end to the quick food. Perform a sit-up. Take action.

In the picture that set Keitzman off, Mahomes was shown without a shirt and wearing board shorts. It’s true that he didn’t appear like Adonis, but rather like a young, fit athlete. One who was healthy enough to have participated in five Super Bowls and won three of them. When I originally viewed the picture, I didn’t think of the word “fat.” The statement was, instead, “Patrick Mahomes owns a yacht! I’m envious.

 

As he looks to surpass Tom Brady’s record of seven Super Bowl victories, Mahomes has previously discussed his “dad bod” and his desire to maintain his fitness and diet. All well and good, but our perception of what a healthy physique looks like has been distorted by the emergence of the “aesthetics” culture among young men on social media. The term “no fats, no fems” used to be commonly used in online profiles, and it has long been a problem among gay males. Keitzman and others seem to believe that if Mahomes looked like this, he would play better.

Every sport has a body type, and while some (like football linemen, rugby, and powerlifting) rely more on bulk and strength than on definition, others (like swimming, wrestling, and gymnastics) naturally make an athlete slim and defined. In the middle are NFL quarterbacks like Mahomes. Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Buffalo Bills (6-5, 238 pounds), is as strong as many lineman but has a bulkier than cut build. Will Levis, the quarterback for the Tennessee Titans, appears to have a future as a fitness model. However, Levis hasn’t been successful as a result of his muscularity and definition; he is now a backup quarterback while Allen is among the best in the NFL.