Kyle Rivas/MLB Photos via Getty Images
There are far worse ways for a Major League Baseball team to start a season than with a reigning Super Bowl champion throwing out the first pitch, and that is exactly what happened in Kansas City.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid threw out the first pitch ahead of Thursday’s game between the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins. While quarterback Patrick Mahomes had some fun with the situation, Reid delivered a strike:
Patrick Mahomes II @PatrickMahomes
Anyone know if coach Reid threw a strike? 😂😂😂 <a href=”https://twitter.com/Royals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Royals</a>
MLB @MLB
Chiefs coach Andy Reid throws a STRIKE on <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/OpeningDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#OpeningDay</a> ⚾️ <a href=”https://t.co/yZl22zju5Y”>pic.twitter.com/yZl22zju5Y</a>
Mahomes can have his fun, but Reid’s pitch went better than a previous attempt from the quarterback.
The Texas Tech product previously threw out the first pitch before a Texas Rangers game, and there aren’t many umpires who would have called it a strike:
To Mahomes’ credit, he bounced back when given the opportunity to throw out another first pitch ahead of a Royals game in 2018:
Kansas City Royals @Royals
.<a href=”https://twitter.com/Chiefs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@Chiefs</a> quarterback <a href=”https://twitter.com/PatrickMahomes5?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@PatrickMahomes5</a> with tonight’s ceremonial first pitch! ⚾️ <a href=”https://t.co/5tWKHXzeuf”>pic.twitter.com/5tWKHXzeuf</a>
The Royals are probably hoping some of the Chiefs’ success rubs off on them if they continue to invite members of the team to throw out first pitches. Kansas City is coming off a 56-106 season, which marked a seventh straight losing campaign.
It hasn’t reached the playoffs since it won the 2015 World Series, which stands in stark contrast to the football team that shares the city.
The Chiefs have been to four of the last five Super Bowls and have taken home three Lombardi Trophies during that stretch. Mahomes is just 28 years old and already on the shortlist of some of the best quarterbacks in NFL history.
The Mahomes and Reid pairing is also one of the best quarterback-coach duos in league history, and the two of them are coming back in 2024 with another Super Bowl run on their mind.
If they capture another Lombardi Trophy, perhaps the Royals will invite them to throw out the first pitch together at some point next season.
