Patrick Mahomes was ‘clearly touched’ by Chiefs item discovered in Ground Zero debris

Patrick Mahomes Discovers Special Artifact at Chiefs’ Archives

The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, had a poignant moment recently when he came across a small toy football bearing the team’s logo during a visit to the team’s archives.

This particular item, found on the grounds of Ground Zero, had been in the team’s archives for two decades. It was uncovered by NYPD detectives who were sifting through debris at Fresh Kills landfill in the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

During his visit, which coincided with the release of the ESPN docuseries “The Kingdom,” Mahomes, along with teammates Travis Kelce and Chris Jones, and Coach Andy Reid, learned the touching story behind this artifact, which is displayed in a shadow box under Arrowhead Stadium.

A letter accompanied the football, penned by a police officer. He recounted his experience after 9/11, describing how he was collecting human remains when he found the Kansas City Chiefs football amidst the rubble.

Mahomes was visibly moved by the story. He had never seen the football before, and it struck a chord about the significance of the team and its culture, according to team historian Bob Moore.

The retired detective sergeant who found the football, Michael Mayer, shared his recollections. Assigned to sift through the remains at Fresh Kills, he took the three-inch football and initially placed it in his pocket. He kept it in a bar for months before deciding to reach out to the Chiefs.

Mayer wrote to the team, offering to send the football, believing they would want to keep it in a special place. The gesture touched Chiefs’ head coach Dick Vermeil, who promised that it would be displayed in the locker room year-round.

Mayer was later invited to a game, where he and his family had the opportunity to meet the team and enjoy lunch with Vermeil and his wife.

Reflecting back, Mayer explained his motivation for keeping the football: it represented “something for someone who died in the tower that day,” which further underscored its importance for him.