Patrick Mahomes made a quiet gesture to a Kansas City Chiefs reporter dealing with the sudden loss of his father, and the reporter decided it was worth sharing.
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KC Sports Network reporter Tucker Franklin announced Aug. 31 that his father, Doug Franklin, had died unexpectedly.
"My dad, Doug Franklin, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away," Franklin wrote on social media. "He was a great father, phenomenal husband, and an amazing man. The only thing he loved more than the Kansas City Royals was his family."
Mahomes apparently saw the news and reached out privately.
"Praying for you and your family man," the Chiefs quarterback wrote in a direct message. "Chiefs and chiefskingdom is with you ?."
I think it’s easy to wonder if the quarterback of your favorite team is actually a good guy.
We don’t have to wonder about that in KC ❤️ pic.twitter.com/N0X5rP2RQW
— Tucker D. Franklin (@tuckerdfranklin) September 7, 2026
Franklin thanked Mahomes, telling him the message meant "more than you'll know."
Several days later, Franklin shared a screenshot of the exchange and explained why.
"I think it's easy to wonder if the quarterback of your favorite team is actually a good guy," Franklin wrote. "We don't have to wonder about that in KC ??."
There wasn't any publicity attached to Mahomes' original message. It was a private note to someone who regularly covers his team and was going through an unimaginably difficult time.
Franklin simply decided afterward that people should know about it.
