Imagine Patrick Mahomes, fresh off the three-peat struggle, swapping his playbook for a Sunday afternoon on the couch. The Kansas City Chiefs QB, whose Hail Mary passes feel as routine as a seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley, found himself glued to a different kind of drama—the 2025 Masters. Think Tom Brady’s focus during a two-minute drill, but with a bowl of nachos and the weight of golf history unfolding.

Mahomes, a guy who knows a thing or two about clutch moments, watched as Rory McIlroy teetered between legacy and another Augusta heartbreak. The Northern Irishman’s quest for the career Grand Slam had all the tension of a bottom-of-the-ninth World Series at-bat. And Mahomes? He wasn’t just a spectator. He was invested.

“Wow. Wow. Wow.” That’s how Mahomes reacted on X after McIlroy sank a pressure-cooked birdie putt in a sudden-death playoff to claim his first green jacket. The Chiefs quarterback, no stranger to high-stakes theatrics, followed up with more praise: “Great golf!” and “Oh my what a golf shot! #Masters”. His tweets mirrored the collective gasp of fans who’d seen McIlroy flirt with disaster—and then rewrite his destiny. Besides, McIlroy’s win wasn’t just a victory lap.

It was a rollercoaster. Leading by four strokes on the back nine, he nearly unraveled with a double bogey on the 13th, a bunker blunder on 18, and a missed 4-foot putt that sent him to a playoff with Justin Rose. But like Mahomes dodging a blitz, McIlroy found a way. His wedge shot in the playoff landed three feet from the cup, setting up the putt that sealed his place beside golf’s Mount Rushmore: Woods, Nicklaus, Player, Hogan, Sarazen… and now Rory. McIlroy’s $4.2 million payday—a Masters record—was a fitting cherry on top. But the real prize?

Validation. For years, his Masters résumé read like a Cubs fan’s pre-2016 lament: close calls, meltdowns, and “maybe next year.” Until April 13, 2025. He has walked this course 17 times hoping for this, and today, it finally fits. Meanwhile, Patrick Mahomes’ connection to golf isn’t just casual fandom.

He’s played in The Match, trash-talked with Brady, and knows the agony of a missed putt. His tweets weren’t just cheers—they were a nod from one clutch artist to another. As McIlroy crouched in tears on the 18th green, Mahomes posted simply: “Congrats!! @McIlroyRory”. No emojis. No hashtags. Just respect. The QB’s Masters watching marathon isn’t surprising, though.

Mahomes: More than an armchair QB

Golf’s mental grind mirrors football’s chess match—patience, precision, and the occasional Hail Mary. Mahomes has praised golf’s calm before the storm vibe, a contrast to the NFL’s controlled chaos. And McIlroy? He’s long been the sport’s “what if?” tale, a talent haunted by near-misses. Until Sunday. For Mahomes, the moment was personal.

In 2021, he watched the Chiefs lose the AFC Championship—then bounced back to win it all the next two years. He even took them to a third successive Super Bowl, although they couldn’t complete their three-peat dream. McIlroy’s redemption arc? Same script. Besides, second chances are the reason why we watch sports. You fail, you adapt, you conquer.

As the Augusta sun set, McIlroy’s win became more than a golf story. It was a lesson in resilience—one Patrick Mahomes knows well. The QB’s tweetstorm didn’t just celebrate Rory; it highlighted the kinship between athletes who thrive when the lights burn brightest. In the end, McIlroy’s Masters miracle was a reminder: Greatness isn’t about avoiding failure. It’s about rewriting the ending. Or, as Roy Hobbs famously mused in The Natural, “There goes Roy Hobbs, the best there ever was.”

When the stakes are highest, do you rise—or crumble? Ask Rory. Or Patrick. They’ve lived both.