Following the 2025 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs held a tryout for 60 undrafted free agents. While most of the players at the tryout were unheralded and unrecognizable rookies, there was one prospect in particular who felt a little bit more at home with the team. Rice Owls tight end Graham Walker, the half-brother of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, participated in the Chiefs’ tryout, according to Alex Abrami of the Burlington Free Press.
Ultimately, the familial connection to Kansas City’s three-time Super Bowl MVP didn’t provide any favors for Walker. Only three players from the tryout — safety Major Williams, wide receiver Jimmy Holiday and linebacker Cooper McDonald — earned a contract, and Walker wasn’t one of them.
Although the Chiefs have employed head coach Andy Reid’s sons on their coaching staff, that same opportunity wasn’t extended to Walker. It may have made for a great story to see Mahomes flicking side-arm passes to his sibling, but the Chiefs have made it clear that talent — not connections — is the only path to a roster spot.
Patrick Mahomes’ half-brother didn’t get signed by the Chiefs
The half-siblings share a biological father in Pat Mahomes Sr., but Walker was raised by his mother, Jessamyn Walker, and stepfather, Gerry Howatt, in Hinesburg, Vermont. Like Mahomes, Walker was a two-sport athlete like Mahomes, except he played point guard for his high school basketball team rather than playing baseball.
The 6-foot-3, 227-pound tight end could have served as a developmental project, especially since Kansas City has been hoping to find a successor for All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce. Instead, Walker continued to bounce around the league in search of a contract. He took part in a tryout with the Jacksonville Jaguars after leaving Kansas City. Walker last participated in rookie minicamp with the Carolina Panthers, per The Charlotte Observer.
Walker began his collegiate career as a wide receiver at Brown, where he compiled 127 receptions for 1,496 yards and 15 touchdowns over three seasons. He had his best season as a freshman in 2021, reeling in 53 receptions for 658 yards and six touchdowns. After transferring to Rice and switching to tight end, Walker finished his final collegiate season with 24 receptions for 252 yards.
Walker may by the sibling of the most successful active quarterback in the league, but he isn’t the only younger sibling attempting to establish a name for himself this year. Panthers rookie running back Trevor Etienne, a fourth-round draft pick, is the younger brother of Jaguars running back Travis Etienne.
Ositadinma Ekwonu, who also tried out with the Panthers, is the twin brother of Panthers offensive tackle Ikem Ekwonu, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Ositadinma also was not given a contract by his brother’s team.