The Kansas City Chiefs are still attempting to figure out the path back to Super Bowl glory. An absolute smackdown at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles has forced Kansas City to look in the mirror in ways it never has before. This is a good team, but is it good enough to climb the mountain again?

The safe bet is probably ‘yes’ given Patrick Mahomes’ track record, but the Chiefs need to focus on short-term gains. That is why the recent buzz around the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and Mahomes’ potential participation with the U.S. flag football team is an unwelcomed distraction.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the league has taken measures to allow one player from each team to participate in the Olympics (as well as a designated international player, where it applies).

Mahomes has made it known in the past that he wants to play in the Olympics. While the idea of Mahomes leading the U.S. to gold on an international stage is undeniably appealing for the regular football fan, it breeds deep anxiety in Chiefs Kingdom.

Patrick Mahomes finally has a chance to play in the Olympics, which scares Chiefs fans

In fairness, even Mahomes has express skepticism about whether he should play for the Olympic flag football team, even if he wants to. It is an entirely different sport, which requires a lot more scrambling from the quarterback position. Mahomes has always been comfortable improvising outside the pocket, but when he’s a couple years past 30 and still recovering from an 18-week NFL season, it’s fair to wonder if it’s the best idea to put him in a physically demanding situation like that.

While the Olympics are an important event and there is great honor in winning a medal for one’s country, Mahomes simply has different priorities. The stakes are too high — for him, for the Chiefs, and for the NFL at large.

Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict lays it out perfectly:

“In fact, the stakes are different for Mahomes than they are for anyone else in this conversation,” Conner writes. “He’s not just the face of the franchise but of the entire league. His health dictates not only the success of the league’s premier franchise, but the NFL itself leans heavily on Mahomes’ abilities, charisma, and persona.”

The majority of sports at the Olympics constitute global sensations, but football still feels like a uniquely American sport. The NFL is slowing expanding its footprint in other countries, but there’s a reason we call it soccer here. Nothing captures the broader American sports-viewing public quite like good, old-fashioned “American” football. The Super Bowl is the biggest TV event of the year, and more often than not, Mahomes is part of it.

A gold medal is a gold medal, but I’m not sure Mahomes’ legacy meaningfully improves if he takes home gold for flag football. He isn’t taking hits, nor would he be facing his usual level of competition. At least, not in the traditional sense, where he’s putting his body on the line with every sack or scramble. He can get hurt playing flag football, but also, it just sort of feels pointless for a three-time Super Bowl champ and NFL MVP. Mahomes has bigger and better things to accomplish on his home turf (literally).