What do you ask NFL superstar and cultural lightning bolt inside an empty Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri? It’s tricky, especially when you’ve only a few minutes. But minutes are eons when sat in front of one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever take a snap on the world’s most lucrative playing field, as qualifications as such mean the subject in question works primarily in nanoseconds. He’s won three Super Bowl MVPs. You can barely sit through an NFL commercial break without a cameo. He’s got an ice cold disposition, yet he’s always smiling in your head…How does he do it? 

Well, that question will never be adequately answered. Words can’t describe the shake-n-bake, the razzle dazzle, the creme-de-la-creme of what Mr. Mahomes churns out on the field, grinning in between goes. He’s here today flexing a friendship with another precision-hound that finds itself occupying its own lane, Hublot, and though our time is brief, and the hustle is real, the moments move like ticker tape highlights we’ll never let go, the springtime is peeking up over the folds of the fabled arena, and you can practically hear a pin drop, or rather…a second hand on a Hublot timepiece swish forward. 

How might you describe the soul, or spirit, of Arrowhead [Stadium]?

I think you said it perfectly. It’s the soul. You can tell the wins, the losses, the tears of joy, the tears of hurt that all occurred in that stadium. Whenever I step on that football field [at Arrowhead Stadium], I have all that with me. I have all that passion, I have all that loyalty.. 

What have you learned about timepieces, and watchmaking in your journey with Hublot, and [what] has surprised you?

I think the history and the story of the watch. When you first look at watches growing up, you see the colors and you see the sizes and the making of [them], but when you hear about the history of how the watch was made, and the collaborations that [Hublot does] with such great people—[these are] what make the watches so special.

What to you about Hublot puts the brand in its own category?

I would say it’s the boldness. It’s the creativity. It’s the not staying with the status quo. I mean, obviously they have every single type of watch that you can have, but they want to be bold. They want to be able to go out there and make their impact in the watchmaking game, as I would say as a football player, I think they’ve done that, and they continue to do that every single day. 

What aspect of your gameplay do you feel is most impacted by extreme weather?

I try not to let any of it be impacted by weather, but I think maybe a little bit of the mobility and being able to run. Playing some snow games in Kansas City, the way you work your feet has to change. I think using weather to my advantage is something that I’ve made extremely important. I get to play in the cold on a day-to-day basis, so whenever we play some of the warm weather teams, it’s an advantage for us.

What’s your favorite part of the off season?,

Now, my favorite part is just spending time with my kids. I spend so much time at the facility, just trying to be the best professional football player I can be. In the offseason, I still have to work out and still have to do those things, but being able to spend that time with my kids and chase them around at soccer games or baseball or T-ball, whatever that is—that’s been the most joy I have in off seasons now.

Any plans to watch the World Cup, and what is your relationship to that big event?

Yeah, I mean, obviously I watched the World Cup growing up. I didn’t play soccer but my wife played professional soccer, and so I have kind of [fallen] in love with the game over these last five to 10 years watching her play in college and professionally, and now owning the Kansas City Current with her and Sporting KC. 

The plans are that we’ll be able to go to some of the games at Arrowhead Stadium. We have tickets for that, and then just try to root on my favorite teams. And hopefully USA can make a little bit of a run as the tournament comes upon us.

If things go right in July, Messi and Ronaldo will be in the same city… 

Yeah, if Argentina and Portugal both get the top seed, they’ll be playing in one of the qualifying rounds at Arrowhead Stadium. That’d be a good one to see those greats play kind of towards the end of their careers. 

Yes, we’re buying tickets for that week.

Yeah, we need it. We need it!

Photographed by Kurt Iswarienko

Styled by Monty Jackson