No One Knows Why This Homeless Man Is Talking About Playing With Patrick Mahomes

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For years, people hurried past a homeless man outside The Daily Grind Coffee Shop, barely glancing at him as he told stories about playing basketball with Michael Jordan. Most thought he was just another street person, making up tales for attention or spare change. Even when he described Jordan’s secret practice habits or the way he’d palmed the ball like it was an orange, nobody stopped to listen. Nobody except 12-year-old Sarah.

Sarah didn’t know why she believed him when everyone else walked away. Maybe it was the way his eyes lit up when he talked about the game. Maybe it was how he knew things that weren’t in any book or documentary. Or maybe it was just that Sarah had always been good at seeing the truth in people. But she never imagined that her curiosity would uncover a 40-year-old mystery—one that would bring the greatest quarterback of all time, Patrick Mahomes, to a small church field in Kansas City, searching for the friend and mentor he’d spent decades trying to find.

This is the story of Marcus Johnson—the man who helped shape Mahomes’ legendary career before disappearing into the shadows of his own tragedy. And it all began on an ordinary morning outside a coffee shop with a homeless man’s tales that nobody believed.

The Homeless Man with a Story

It was a crisp morning when Marcus settled into his usual spot outside The Daily Grind Coffee Shop. His weathered hands clutched a thin cardboard sign that read: “Any help appreciated. God Bless.” Unlike other homeless people in the area, Marcus wasn’t just asking for money; he was telling stories.

“Young man!” Marcus called out to a boy walking past with his father. “I once played football with the greatest quarterback of all time.”

The boy tugged at his father’s sleeve. “Dad, he’s talking about Patrick Mahomes.”

“Keep walking, Tommy,” the father muttered, pulling his son along. “He’s just making up stories.”

Marcus wasn’t bothered by their reaction. He just smiled and adjusted the worn Kansas City Chiefs cap on his head. His belongings sat neatly beside him—a backpack that had seen better days, a thin blanket, and an old water bottle.

The morning crowd rushed past, clutching their coffee cups like shields against the world. Most pretended not to see him, but Marcus kept talking anyway, his stories floating on the wind like fallen leaves.

“Did you know Mahomes used to practice his throws before sunrise?” Marcus called out to no one in particular. “He’d say the quiet helped him focus. I’d rebound for him sometimes back in ‘14.”

Sarah Takes Notice

Sarah first noticed Marcus on her way to the coffee shop with her mom when she was just 12 years old. She was old enough to know that most people ignored the homeless but young enough to still question why. She watched as people in suits walked past him, some dropping coins in his cup without looking, others quickening their pace.

“Mom,” Sarah whispered, tugging at her mother’s sleeve. “Why is that man talking about Patrick Mahomes?”

Lisa Chen glanced at Marcus and then back at her daughter. “Some people make up stories to get attention, honey. Come on, we’ll be late for your piano lesson.”

But Sarah couldn’t stop thinking about the man in the Chiefs cap. Unlike other homeless people she’d seen, he didn’t just ask for money—he told stories with such detail and life in his voice that they seemed to paint pictures in the air. The next morning, Sarah convinced her mom to stop at The Daily Grind again. Marcus was there as always, but this time, he was talking to a teenage boy wearing a Mahomes jersey.

“Man, you should’ve seen his hands!” Marcus was saying. “Mahomes could grip a football like it was an extension of his arm. But it wasn’t just the size—it was how he used them.”

The teenager leaned against the wall, actually listening. “Yeah, but everyone knows Mahomes has big hands. That’s like common knowledge.”

Marcus chuckled. “Sure, everyone knows that now, but I’m talking about before. Before the fame, when he was still in college, trying to prove himself.”

The Mystery Deepens

As the days went by, Sarah became increasingly intrigued by Marcus’ stories. He spoke with such authority about Mahomes—details about his early training, the way Mahomes treated his coaches, and how he would practice the simplest of throws until they were perfect. Sarah started to believe that maybe Marcus was telling the truth. She became determined to find out more about him and why someone who once played with Patrick Mahomes had ended up homeless on a street corner.

One morning, Sarah convinced her mom to stop early. Marcus wasn’t there. She waited anxiously, hoping he was just late. After school, Sarah went back to The Daily Grind, and this time, Marcus was there. But he looked different—tired, worried.

“Thanks for the coffee,” Marcus said when he saw her, a slight tremor in his voice.

Sarah sat down beside him, ignoring her mom’s disapproving glance. “How come you never told anyone about all this?” she asked. “Like the newspapers or TV stations?”

A shadow crossed Marcus’ face. “Some stories are better left in the past,” he said quietly.

Before Sarah could ask what he meant, her mom was by her side, ready to leave. But just before they left, Marcus handed Sarah a crumpled piece of paper—an old photograph from 2014, showing a college football team. There, in the back row, was a younger Marcus, smiling beside none other than Patrick Mahomes.

“I knew it!” Sarah whispered to herself. “Marcus is telling the truth.”

The Search for the Truth

That night, Sarah couldn’t sleep. She studied the photograph, realizing that the date on the back read March 2014. She researched online, finding articles about Mahomes’ time at Texas Tech, but no mention of Marcus. She knew something was off. Why hadn’t Marcus’s name appeared in the media? What had happened to him after college?

The next morning, Sarah convinced her mom to stop by The Daily Grind early again. When they arrived, Marcus was gone. But she couldn’t stop thinking about his stories and the photograph he’d given her. She was now more determined than ever to uncover the truth.