Patrick Mahomes talks Throne Coffee investment, 18 game NFL season

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has added “coffee entrepreneur” to his already packed resume.

The three-time Super Bowl champion has invested in Throne Sport Coffee, adding to the 29-year-old superstar’s portfolio off the field.

As his Chiefs and the rest of the NFL gear up for the upcoming season, Mahomes spoke to CNBC about his interest in coffee, his growing investment portfolio in sports properties, stadium politics in Kansas City and his take on an 18-game NFL season.

Mahomes became the second largest investor in Throne Sport Coffee in May 2024, with an undisclosed stake.

Today, he’s not only an investor, but also the brand’s lead pitchman and product tester — and a daily drinker.

“It actually started in my first year in the NFL,” Mahomes told CNBC of his coffee habit. “I was in a lot of meetings, and coffee became a functional need. But then I started to really love it, especially black coffee.”

When CEO, founder and beverage industry veteran Mike Fedele approached him with a ready-to-drink option designed to be a healthier caffeine boost, he said it felt like a natural fit for him.

“I really fell in love with just the taste and trying to make sure that what I was putting into my body was good,” he said.

Fedele, who has worked with major brands like Coca-Cola and BodyArmor, said Throne stands out because it has 10 grams of protein and 40% less sugar than competitors. Throne coffee has about 50 calories in it with 1 gram of sugar.

For comparison, a ready-to-drink Starbucks Frappuccino can have as many as 300 calories and 47 grams of sugar.

“Given how frequently people that care about what they’re putting into their bodies consume coffee, I felt there needed to be a better for you option,” he said.

Mahomes said his daily caffeine habit includes three coffees a day: one when he wakes up, another before meetings, and a third ahead of afternoon prep.

“It’s probably too much,” he laughed, “but with Throne, I know I’m putting something clean in my body, no junk, no sugar, and added electrolytes, and B vitamins.”

On game days? He said he tones it down to just one or two.

The ready-to-drink coffee market is a rapidly growing category. Americans spent $17.7 billion on the category in 2023, according to Technomic.

Despite its growth prospects, Throne is competing in a crowded coffee space, with coffee shop competitors rounding out their ready-to-drink offering. Starbucks announced this week that it is expanding its ready-to-drink lineup, citing the latest consumer trends and growth of the category.

Throne is just one part of Mahomes’ growing investment portfolio. The three-time Super Bowl MVP also holds minority stakes in MLB’s Kansas City Royals, Sporting Kansas City of the MLS and the NWSL’s KC Current, along with Alpine F1.

“I love sports. I love how they bring people together: families, communities. That’s what I want to invest in,” Mahomes said.

So does that mean he’s eyeing a future ownership stake in the Chiefs?

“That would be cool,” he said. “Hopefully a long time from now, but yeah, I’d love to be a part of the team after I’m done playing. They’ve done so much for me.”

The Chiefs’ stadium future is still undecided, as the franchise is deciding whether to renovate Arrowhead Stadium or build a new stadium in Kansas. Mahomes didn’t say where he would prefer the team to play.

“Arrowhead is special. You feel the history. But wherever we play, the fans will show up,” he said.

The Chiefs were recently granted a one-year extension to make a decision on their future stadium.

On leaguewide issues, Mahomes said he’s cautious about proposals for an 18-game NFL season and international expansion, including the Chiefs’ Week 1 game in Brazil.

“More games are tough on the body. If we’re going to go to 18, we need more bye weeks. Same with international games, planning matters.”