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Tyrann Mathieu and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs are facing one of the downsides to winning. Once the losing starts, the fan base quickly lashes out. At 3-4, the Chiefs are getting an earful from fans on social media, and some of the Chiefs, including Mathieu, are fed up.
Chiefs' fanbase vs. Tyrann Mathieu
According to Chiefs Wire, Tyrann Mathieu called the Kansas City Chiefs' fanbase "one of the most toxic fan bases in all of sports."
The comment was in response to a post made by linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Hitchens is frustrated with the Chiefs' community as well. He called them out and essentially called them keyboard warriors and said their opinions "don't matter."
“These boys will never understand talk big on internet but want pics and autographs in person haha,” Hitchens wrote. “Me my family and kids family ‘that don’t exist yet’ are set for life !!! Y’all keep trolling put y’all phones down and go get some money, BTW y’all opinions don’t matter!! All we did was go to 3 AFC champions games and 2 Super Bowls and 1 SB win.. in my first 3 years so far!!ya’ll fans will never be satisfied it’s sad !!”
Tyrann Mathieu and Anthony Hitchens feel that they've done enough and deserve some respect. Unfortunately, in the NFL, fanbases only want to win now. It is a win-now league. Put simply, fan bases essentially say "win this season or get out."
The Chiefs are experiencing the same effect that their Denver Broncos rivals have been battling since Peyton Manning retired. The Broncos' fan base grew throughout the Tebow-Manning years as the team started to win and regularly reach the playoffs. The Broncos also went to two Super Bowls in which they won one and lost one in blowout fashion.
After the Broncos fell from grace, much of the fan base turned "toxic," as Mathieu put it. Even today, five years after Manning's retirement, every non-win is filled with anger and calls for coaches' jobs, players' jobs, and general managers' jobs. Put simply, unless the Chiefs rebound, they will continue to face this kind of heat year after year.
Eventually, if the Chiefs don't rebound, many fans will stop tuning in. The Denver Broncos face this hurdle at 4-4 in what is likely to be their sixth consecutive season without a playoff berth. Of course, the Chiefs are still a long way from suffering the Broncos' fate. They still have their top skill players, quarterback and head coach.
This could be the floor for Mahomes and the Chiefs could rebound this season or 2022 with ease. The Seahawks, who went to back-to-back Super Bowls and won one, went on to remain a perennial playoff contender. They are only now facing a truly painful season at 3-5. If Mahomes is on the same level as Wilson, the Chiefs will continue to have a floor of around .500 no matter the surrounding cast.
The Chiefs still have 15 years or longer with their quarterback. With Mahomes under lock and key, the Chiefs will remain relevant for years to come by default.
