“I don't pay for abs”: John Middlekauff shuts down Patrick Mahomes' body-shaming chatter over viral 4th of July picture with wife Brittany

Patrick Mahomes and Brittany Mahomes celebrated the 4th of July in style. The couple was spotted hanging out on a yacht with their family and friends on the holiday. However, a picture of Mahomes with his wife went viral but for the wrong reasons.

Mahomes was seen posing shirtless with his wife, Brittany. But the Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback received a lot of flak. Many people criticized the three-time Super Bowl winner's appearance, and some even body-shamed him.

Former NFL scout John Middlekauff called out the critics in a video he uploaded on his YouTube channel on Friday. He said a quarterback doesn't need abs to perform, and teams hire the players who deliver productive results over the ones who are shredded.

"So, when it comes to quarterback, I don't pay for abs," Middlekauff said (Timestamp: 07:05). "I don't pay for body mass index. I pay for completions. I pay for leadership. I pay for toughness. And ultimately, I pay for him to lead my team to wins. He's the most important player in the entire sport and has been now since Tom Brady essentially retired."

He added:

"We have seen some quarterbacks who are 'shredded,' and that's not really what people are looking for. ... So when I saw Mahomes, this guy crushing him for being fat, my first reaction was, ‘Who gives a sh*t?’ Because, like most industries, you're paid to produce. That's literally all that matters. If having abs led to more wins on the football field, then the conversation would be different." (08:13)

Chiefs star guard Trey Smith revealed that he loses sleep while thinking about protecting Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes has brought a lot of success to the Kansas City Chiefs. He has led the franchise to three Super Bowl wins. However, Trey Smith has been equally responsible for helping Mahomes achieve what he has.

On Thursday, the Chiefs guard appeared on the "Up and Adams" show and revealed that he lost sleep while thinking about protecting Mahomes.

"Oh man, it's awesome," Smith said. "It's something that I take a lot of pride in, and for him to say that means a lot to me. Like I said, I lose sleep thinking about protecting Patrick.

"I know there are things I need to get better in my game to be the best protector that I can, and just be an asset for my team and help my team out."

It'll be interesting to see if Mahomes leads the Chiefs to another Super Bowl in the upcoming season.