Chad Johnson fires back at Brittany Mahomes over Chiefs ref rant

Patrick Mahomes was prepared to play a personal role in convincing Cristiano Ronaldo to join Major League Soccer.

In December 2022, Sporting Kansas City emerged as a surprise contender to sign Ronaldo following his departure from Manchester United.

The MLS franchise held discussions with Ronaldo’s representatives and reportedly put together a lucrative financial package to compete with offers from Saudi Arabia.

Mahomes, who became a minority owner of Sporting Kansas City in 2021, was approached about helping persuade the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to join the club.

According to the Kansas City Star, Mahomes’ response was enthusiastic.

"Let’s do it. What do you need from me?" Mahomes reportedly said.

Sporting Kansas City believed the NFL superstar’s involvement could help demonstrate the opportunities available to Ronaldo in the United States.

The club’s ambitious proposal reportedly included commercial incentives and financial arrangements that could have made Ronaldo one of the highest-paid players in MLS history.

However, the deal never materialised.

Ronaldo ultimately chose Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, leaving Kansas City to reflect on what could have been one of the biggest transfers in American soccer history.

Ronaldo’s retirement from international football has brought renewed attention to the extraordinary transfer attempt.

The Portuguese legend has called time on his international career, bringing an end to one of football’s most remarkable chapters.

His retirement has also revived memories of the time Mahomes was prepared to help bring him to MLS.

Mahomes has been a minority owner of Sporting Kansas City since 2021.

His role in the club goes beyond a passive investment — he has been involved in promotional efforts and strategic decisions.

The idea of using Mahomes as a recruiter for Ronaldo was seen as a way to leverage his star power across two major American sports.

At the time, Ronaldo was one of the most famous athletes in the world.

Bringing him to MLS would have been a coup for the league, which has attracted aging European stars in the past but rarely landed a player of Ronaldo’s stature while he was still in his prime.

Sporting Kansas City was not considered a frontrunner for Ronaldo when the rumors first surfaced.

The club plays in a mid-sized market and does not have the glamour of LAFC, Inter Miami, or New York City FC.

Yet the franchise put together a serious bid.

The financial package reportedly included base salary, performance bonuses, commercial revenue sharing, and potential ownership stakes.

Mahomes was seen as the closer — the person who could sit down with Ronaldo and convince him that Kansas City was a viable destination.

Mahomes’ enthusiasm was genuine, according to sources cited by the Kansas City Star.

He did not hesitate when asked to be part of the recruitment effort.

The question "What do you need from me?" signaled a willingness to use his own time, reputation, and connections to make the deal happen.

Ronaldo ultimately decided to move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Pro League offered him a contract worth a reported $200 million per year, including commercial rights and image licensing.

MLS salary cap rules and league structure made it impossible for Sporting Kansas City to match that kind of money.

Even with Mahomes’ involvement, the gap between what MLS could offer and what Saudi Arabia could offer was too wide.

The deal never reached the formal offer stage, according to multiple reports.

But the fact that it was discussed at all — with Mahomes as a central figure — shows how close MLS came to landing one of the biggest names in sports history.

Ronaldo’s retirement has sparked renewed interest in the story.

Fans and analysts have revisited the what-if scenario: What if Ronaldo had chosen Kansas City?

What if Mahomes had made the pitch in person?

What if MLS had landed a player of Ronaldo’s caliber while he was still playing at a high level?

The answers remain hypothetical.

But the documentation of Mahomes’ willingness to help recruit Ronaldo is real.

The Kansas City Star report, based on sources with knowledge of the discussions, provides a rare look inside a transfer attempt that almost changed American soccer.