You’ve heard it. That scratchy, high-pitched, slightly nasal rasp that comes out of the most dangerous arm in football. If you close your eyes when the Kansas City Chiefs are in the huddle, you aren’t hearing a three-time Super Bowl champion. You’re hearing a green puppet who lives in a swamp and plays the banjo.
The Patrick Mahomes as Kermit the Frog comparison isn't just a meme anymore. It's basically NFL lore.
Honestly, it’s rare to see a superstar athlete lean into something so objectively goofy. Usually, guys with that many rings are obsessed with their "brand" and looking tough. But Mahomes? He’s been hearing the frog jokes since he was a teenager in Whitehouse, Texas. He knows. We know. And at this point, even the rival teams are trying to use it as psychological warfare.
Where the Kermit Voice Actually Came From
It wasn't some viral tweet from 2020 that started this. The nickname actually dates back to his college days at Texas Tech. According to Zayn Perry, an equipment manager for the Red Raiders, the "Kermit" tag was born in the locker room long before Mahomes was a household name.
When he finally hit the national stage in 2018, the rest of the world caught on fast.
His voice is just... unique. It’s got this "froggish" quality—a term actually used by Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. In an ESPN interview years ago, Mahomes admitted that his teammates use the voice to keep him humble. If he gets too confident or starts acting like a superstar, someone in the locker room will start ribbing him with a "Hi-ho!" impression.
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Tyreek Hill used to be the ringleader of this. He once told reporters that he couldn't even look at Mahomes in the huddle without laughing because the play calls sounded like they were coming from a Muppet.
When the Joke Turned Into Trash Talk
For a long time, the Kermit stuff was just a fun, "we love our QB" kind of vibe. Then the rest of the AFC got tired of losing to him.
In the summer of 2024, things got a little spicy. During the Las Vegas Raiders' training camp, a fan brought a Kermit the Frog puppet to the sidelines. This wasn't just any puppet; it had a tiny Mahomes jersey and a curly wig. Raiders rookie Trey Taylor grabbed the doll and started mocking Mahomes’ voice in front of the cameras.
The clip went nuclear.
Most people thought it was hilarious. Mahomes, however, took a "business as usual" approach that felt low-key terrifying for Raiders fans. He told the media, "It’ll get handled when it gets handled."
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And it did. The Chiefs went on to sweep the Raiders that season.
But the "effigy" trend didn't stop there. Buffalo Bills fans took it a step further by hanging a Kermit-Mahomes doll from a pole outside Highmark Stadium. Even the Philadelphia Eagles fans got in on the action during the celebrations for Super Bowl LIX, actually burning a Kermit puppet in the streets of Philly.
The Mahomes Response: "It's the Joke That Keeps Giving"
What makes this work is that Patrick doesn't get defensive. He’s actually remarkably chill about it. During a Super Bowl LVIII press conference, a reporter asked him to do his best Kermit impression.
His response? "I’m talking right now. That’s it."
He basically admitted that his natural speaking voice is the best impression anyone could ever do. That’s elite-level self-awareness. He even joked that he should probably get a brand deal out of it.
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Even Nike jumped on the trend recently. After the Chiefs lost in Super Bowl LIX, Nike released an ad featuring the song "It's Not Easy Bein' Green." It was a subtle, clever nod to the Eagles' colors, but everyone knew exactly who they were trolling with that specific song choice.
Why This Meme Actually Matters for His Legacy
Football can be so self-serious. We spend hours debating passer ratings and "clutch genes." The Kermit thing adds a layer of humanity to a guy who otherwise looks like a football-playing robot designed in a lab.
It makes him relatable.
Think about it: the best player in the world sounds like a children's television character. It’s the perfect foil to his dominance. It’s hard to truly hate a guy who sounds like he’s about to introduce the letter "Q" on Sesame Street.
How to Handle the "Kermit" Label Like a Pro
If you find yourself being compared to a Muppet—or just dealt a hand of harmless mockery—take a page out of the Mahomes playbook:
- Own the Narrative: Don't try to change your voice or act "tougher" to compensate.
- Use it as Fuel: Let the jokes happen, then go win a ring. There is no better comeback than a trophy.
- Keep it in Perspective: It's a game. If the worst thing people can say about you is that you sound like a beloved frog, you’re doing alright.
If you want to keep up with the latest Chiefs news or see if Mahomes ever actually lands that Muppets endorsement, keep an eye on his social media during the off-season. He’s been known to post the Kermit "sipping tea" meme when he gets the last laugh, which, let’s be honest, happens pretty often.
Check out the official NFL mic'd up segments from the last few seasons to hear the voice in action during high-pressure moments—it really does sound exactly like you’d expect.