“Through six years as QB1 in Kansas City, the gunslinger has celebrated three Super Bowl titles with a fourth trip to that stage,” the B/R staff went on. “Each of those seasons ended no earlier than the AFC Championship, and Mahomes added a second MVP during the 2022 campaign.”

Bleacher Report also mentioned Mahomes’ tendency to spark various NFL trends — like quarterbacks throwing with “strange arm angles” and “no-look passes.”

“Still, his play style is already having a clear influence on this generation of QBs in high school and college,” the site concluded. “As he continues to act as the post-Tom Brady face of the NFL, the 29-year-old is also growing as a voice for social change and is no stranger to charitable efforts, as his 15 and the Mahomies foundation is ‘dedicated to improving the lives of children.’”

On that note, Mahomes has been nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award but has never won it. His foundation was first established in 2019, and “supports initiatives that focus on health, wellness, communities in need of resources and other charitable causes.”

Should Patrick Mahomes Be Ranked Higher on the List of the ‘Most Influential Sports Figures’ Since the Year 2000?

Considering Mahomes is the unquestioned face of the NFL before reaching age 30, some might argue that he could — or even should — rank higher than No. 18 overall.

It’s not surprising that Brady made the top three, being that he dominated the majority of this 25-year era. Similarly, NBA counterpart LeBron James, golf legend Tiger Woods, soccer megastars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, record-breaking Olympian Michael Phelps and female sports pioneers Serena Williams, Simone Biles and — most recently — Caitlin Clark all placed higher than Mahomes.

Obviously, Kaepernick is a more controversial selection, as his very public protests of the national anthem sparked a civil rights movement that divided the nation for a time.

Bleacher Report explained the choice to rank Kaepernick 10th, writing: “During the 2016 preseason, Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem as a way to protest the oppression of people of color. No matter your personal feelings on the matter, Kaepernick’s actions sparked a loud conversation about social justice within the NFL.”

There were a few more recent sports sensations that also topped Mahomes on this list, including NBA superstar Stephen Curry — who surprisingly ranked second overall — MLB phenom Shohei Ohtani and the aforementioned Clark.

One other deserved sports figure who made the top 10 was NBA superstar Kobe Bryant, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in 2020 following his Hall of Fame career.

With impactful competition like this, Mahomes’ rank isn’t necessarily a surprise. Having said that, he could have easily been placed within the top 10-15 as well given a few of the names that are in front of him on this list.