Patrick Mahomes' father arrested for third DWI a week before Super Bowl

Patrick Mahomes Sr., the father of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, was arrested for DWI in Tyler, Texas on Saturday night according to local reports.

This is the third recorded DWI arrest for the elder Mahomes, who was sentenced to 40 days for his second DWI offense in 2019. He served that jail sentence on weekends. This third arrest could carry far more severe penalties.

In Texas, a conviction for a third DWI offense is a felony, punishable by a minimum of two years in jail with up to 10 years on the table, a fine of up to $10,000 and loss of driver's license for two years.

That doesn't mean Mahomes Sr. is definitely facing a lengthy prison sentence. A plea bargain could reduce time served, though there is a mandatory 10-day jail term.

Suffice it to say, this is a serious arrest for Mahomes Sr. Bond is expected to be set on Sunday.

Patrick Mahomes Sr. arrest for DWI comes days before Chiefs Super Bowl appearance

There is a football angle here, of course. Patrick Mahomes is preparing for the Super Bowl and the last thing he needs is to worry about is a jail sentence for his father.

But this also goes beyond football. DWI is a crime for good reason. People die each year because of drivers who are under the influence. Even though Mahomes Sr. didn't harm anyone this time, he allegedly put everyone on the road around him in danger. The fact that this is a third offense suggests no lessons were learned the first two times. That's unconscionable.

It's all the worse because Mahomes Sr.'s arrest came just hours before the third anniversary of then-Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid injuring two young children in a DWI incident a week before Super Bowl LV. He pled guilty to DWI charges and was sentenced to three years in prison in 2022.