Fact Check: Did Patrick Mahomes buy a hotel and fire its employees who were racist toward him?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In today’s digital age, rumors about celebrities spread rapidly across the internet, and Patrick Mahomes is no exception. Recently, a rumor circulated online claiming the NFL star had purchased a hotel and fired employees who had been racist toward him.

The story gained traction, with many believing it to be true as it was widely shared online. However, it’s important to remember that Mahomes has openly discussed his mixed-race heritage, identifying as Black in 2020.

What is the rumor about Patrick Mahomes?

In January 2025, a rumor started circulating online claiming that Patrick Mahomes had purchased a hotel and fired its employees who were racially discriminating against him.

The rumor first shared on January 8 via a Facebook post by NFL Playoffs, read, "Racist hotel rejects Patrick Mahomes, the next day he decides to come back and buy the hotel and directly fire the staff who disrespected him." The post, which referenced an article from Btuatu, quickly gained traction, attracting over 600 comments and 1.7K likes. Within days, other websites began sharing the same story, often accompanied by articles that mirrored the claim.

The rumor spread across social media, with users reposting the same narrative alongside the article.

One version of the claim from Btuatu, a website affiliated with the NFL Playoffs page, began with a vivid description: "On a cool autumn evening, the Royal Beacon Hotel's lobby gleamed with polished marble floors and soft lighting. Guests in tailored suits and designer dresses glided past, exchanging quiet greetings. Behind the front desk, Marissa, a young receptionist, prided herself on managing the hotel's elite ambiance. She believed she could spot the right sort of clientele from a distance."

It continued, detailing an interaction with the receptionist, Marissa, "As the clock approached midnight, a tall, broad-shouldered Black man stepped inside, wearing a simple hoodie and jeans. His face was friendly but weary, as if he had come from a long journey. He approached the front desk, and Marissa's smile tightened, turning polite but guarded. She sized him up, noting his casual clothes. This wasn't how their usual guests dressed."

Accompanying the posts were collages of images, some showing Mahomes walking out of the hotel alongside a group that appeared to include a security guard, receptionist, and hotel employee. Other images depicted Mahomes talking to a person, with one set even showing him at a press conference after a game. The use of these images further fueled the spread of the rumor.

Patrick Mahomes' claim of buying the hotel has been debunked

Although the rumor may have seemed credible to some, it’s crucial to dig deeper and uncover the truth. First and foremost, there is no evidence from reliable sources, nor have Patrick Mahomes’ official social media accounts mentioned anything about him buying a hotel and firing employees who were allegedly racist toward him. 

Another key point debunking the rumor is that it originated as an adaptation of a fictional story about basketball legend Shaquille O'Neal, as noted by Snopes.

Furthermore, the images circulating on social media were created using AI software. While the lower images in the provided collages were real, the upper images showed signs of digital manipulation. 

The image of Mahomes walking out of the hotel was reportedly taken from his Instagram account, originally posted on October 23. The image was altered, flipped, and cropped for use in the rumor. 

Additionally, the image of the hotel lobby was taken from a thumbnail of a 12-minute video by the YouTube account ‘Storytime With Solomon', titled ‘Racist Hotel Rejects Big Shaq, The Next Day He Returns as the Owner AND …’ The only difference in the YouTube image was that it featured O'Neal instead of Mahomes. The description of the video about O'Neal used the words "fictional" and "fictional stories," and did not claim to be a narration of real events.

In conclusion, the rumor is false. The claim about Mahomes buying a hotel and firing employees is a distorted version of a fictional story about O'Neal purchasing a hotel after experiencing racism, with all instances of O'Neal’s name simply replaced with Mahomes'.