Philadelphia’s annual Mummers Parade took a viral turn on New Year’s Day when a man dressed as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, complete with a Kermit the Frog mask, was theatrically knocked out by someone portraying pop culture icon, Rocky Balboa. The scene unfolded amid elaborate skits and costumes that define the century-old parade tradition.
The performance carried clear symbolism. Nearly a year after the Philadelphia Eagles’ decisive win over Mahomes and the Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, Eagles fans used the parade to revisit that rivalry, blending sports satire with one of the city’s most recognizable fictional figures.
Mummers Parade Skit Revives Patrick Mahomes Kermit Meme
The moment unfolded on January 1, 2026, at Philadelphia’s iconic Mummers Parade, the longest-running continuous folk parade in the U.S., dating back to 1901. Known for its elaborate costumes and over-the-top skits inspired by sports, politics, and pop culture, the annual event once again leaned heavily into satire.
One skit in particular stole the spotlight. A performer portraying Patrick Mahomes, wearing a Kermit the Frog mask, was theatrically knocked out by someone dressed as Rocky Balboa, the fictional boxing legend synonymous with Philadelphia.
Adding to the chaos, another participant swung a giant cannoli at a performer dressed as Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, fully embracing the parade’s exaggerated humor. The Kermit mask played off a long-running NFL meme comparing Mahomes’ voice to the famous Muppet.
While usually lighthearted, the joke has sparked controversy before, most notably in 2025, when Brittany Mahomes reacted after a Kermit doll in Mahomes’ jersey was seen hanging from a pole in Buffalo following the Chiefs’ AFC Championship win.
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“Do we remember this Buffalo? Absolutely disgusting,” she wrote over the photo via Instagram. “So as you go home tonight, I pray we become better people.”
The incident was one of several moments where the joke crossed from playful to provocative. A year earlier, Las Vegas Raiders safety Trey Taylor was caught on video holding a Kermit doll while mocking Patrick Mahomes’ voice, adding, “I’m a bitch.”
The clip quickly circulated online and drew criticism from fans. Mahomes, however, downplayed the situation when asked about it by reporters, choosing not to fuel the controversy.
“Stuff like that happens. It’ll get handled when it gets handled,” he said. “Everybody kind of just lets me play, I mean, they know how I am. They don’t need to send me anything to keep me motivated.”
Eagles’ Playoff Push And Patrick Mahomes’ Injury Context
Eagles fans approached the 2026 parade with added momentum after Philadelphia finished the regular season 11-5, secured the NFC East title, and entered the playoffs with a realistic chance of winning back-to-back championships.
However, the Chiefs’ season followed a starkly different path. Kansas City is 6-10 and out of playoff contention after Mahomes suffered a season-ending ACL injury on December 14. “Don’t know why this had to happen,” Mahomes wrote via X the day of his injury.
He added, “And not going to lie, hurts. But all we can do now is (trust) in God and attack every single day over and over again. Thank you, Chiefs kingdom, for always supporting me and for everyone who has reached out and sent prayers. I (will) be back stronger than ever.”
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed the following day that Mahomes had already undergone surgery and begun rehabilitation. “He’ll attack it, just like he does everything else,” Reid said.
The 67-year-old further added, “There have been some pretty good quarterbacks who have had the same injury, and they’ve done pretty well after they came back. He’ll get after it, and he’s got good people here to rehab him. He’ll be right on top of all of that.”
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As Mahomes works toward a possible return for the start of the 2026 season, the Mummers Parade skit underscored how NFL rivalries continue to spill into civic traditions, particularly in a city where sports culture and public spectacle remain tightly intertwined.
