Life moves fast. One minute you're standing under the neon lights of a Super Bowl celebration, confetti stuck to your jersey, and the next, you're sitting in a quiet room holding a loved one's hand. That’s the reality for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. While the world sees the no-look passes and the three-peat chases, the private world of the Mahomes family has been anchored by a much quieter, more somber story.
Last year, the sports world held its breath when Randi Mahomes, Patrick’s mother, took to Instagram with a message that stopped everyone in their tracks. "My dad is in hospice and I’m lost for words," she wrote. It wasn't just a status update. It was a raw, human moment from a family that usually lives in the middle of a media hurricane.
The man at the center of this was Randy Martin, Patrick’s maternal grandfather. He wasn't just a name in a headline; he was a career educator and a counselor who spent decades shaping lives in Texas. For Patrick, he was a pillar of support who had watched his grandson rise from a standout kid in Tyler, Texas, to the face of the NFL.
What Really Happened with Patrick Mahomes' Grandfather
Honestly, the timeline of Randy Martin’s health battle was a roller coaster for the family. It didn't just happen overnight. The trouble started back in September 2024. Randi Mahomes started asking for "prayer warriors" on social media. People knew something was up, but nobody realized how serious it was until late January 2025.
That was a crazy time. The Chiefs were gearing up for the AFC Championship game against the Buffalo Bills. While Patrick was studying film and prepping for Josh Allen, his grandfather was being moved into hospice care. Imagine that pressure. You've got the weight of a city on your shoulders, but your heart is in a hospital room.
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Reports surfaced that Randy was basically "hanging on" to watch Patrick play. He wanted to see that third Super Bowl ring. There’s something deeply moving about a grandfather fighting for just one more Sunday, just one more chance to see his grandson do something historic.
A Legacy Beyond the Football Field
Randy Martin wasn't just "Patrick Mahomes' grandfather." He was a man who dedicated his life to service. He worked for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and spent years as a drug and alcohol abuse counselor. He was a school administrator. He was a teacher.
When you look at Patrick’s composure on the field, you start to see where that steady hand might have come from.
- Career: Educator, Counselor, Administrator.
- Location: Henderson and Tyler, Texas.
- Family: Father to Randi Mahomes, grandfather to Patrick, Jackson, and Mia.
- Faith: Deeply rooted in the church, a point Randi often highlighted with scripture.
Sadly, the battle ended on February 12, 2025. Randy passed away at the age of 78, just days after the Super Bowl. Patrick actually served as a pallbearer at the funeral in Henderson, Texas. It was a reminder that even for a guy who feels like a superhero on Sundays, the losses at home hit the hardest.
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Managing Fame Amid Personal Grief
It’s kinda wild how we expect athletes to be robots. We see the injury reports—the sprained ankles or the torn ACLs—and we analyze them to death. But the mental toll of losing a patriarch? That doesn't show up on the injury wire.
Patrick has always been a family-first guy. You see it with his wife Brittany and their three kids, Sterling, Bronze, and their youngest, Golden Raye. But 2025 was a brutal year for him. Not only was he dealing with his grandfather’s decline, but he also suffered a major knee injury later in the year that ended his season.
Sometimes life just hits you all at once.
You’ve got to wonder how much the stress of family health issues weighs on a player's performance. Most experts agree that the Mahomes family’s openness about their faith and their "prayer warrior" community helped them navigate the grief. Randi Mahomes often shared that her father's notes contained life advice that she was only just beginning to fully understand after he was gone.
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What We Can Learn from the Mahomes Family's Journey
The story of Patrick Mahomes' grandfather in hospice isn't just a sports trivia note. It’s a lesson in how even the most successful people in the world have to face the same end-of-life realities we all do.
If you are following this story or dealing with similar family struggles, there are a few takeaways:
- Privacy vs. Support: The Mahomes family chose to be open about their need for prayers. This created a community of support that helped them through the darkest days. You don't have to carry the weight alone.
- Legacy Matters: Randy Martin’s life as an educator reminds us that what we do off the clock defines us more than any trophy ever could.
- Perspective: Even during the biggest games of his career, Patrick stayed present for his family. He showed up when it mattered most—at the bedside and at the service.
Moving into 2026, the Chiefs are looking toward a rebuild, and Patrick is working his way back from that knee surgery. But the memories of Randy Martin—the man who hung on just to see his grandson play one more time—will undoubtedly be part of the fuel for his comeback.
If you're looking to support the causes Randy Martin cared about, consider looking into local Texas education foundations or substance abuse counseling programs. Supporting those who dedicate their lives to helping others is the best way to honor a legacy like his. You can also keep up with Randi Mahomes' social media for updates on the family's ongoing charitable efforts in Randy's memory.