Mahomes' hometown prepares for fourth Super Bowl bash to root for two-time champ.
WHITEHOUSE- When Gloria Munoz arrived in the U.S. from Mexico City in 1999. No one knew she would own a restaurant in Whitehouse, Texas. The same town produced the best NFL player of this generation.
"It's not luck either," Munoz said. "It's just hard work."
Munoz took over the Montez Creekside Kitchen amid the pandemic. And now it's become the annual Super Bowl watch party spot for the hometown legend.
"I knew we could make it happen, and those words are stuck with me forever," she said. "Make it happen."
Likely, the three words, Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs, are making a mantra going into Sunday's Super Bowl.
Mahomes wore number 5 when he became a star at Whitehouse High School.
By the number, Gloria has five local companies sponsoring this year's watch party at her restaurant. And Catering to her crowd is the name of the game.
On her menu are hot dogs named for Mahomes and his primary passing connection, tight end Travis Kelce. The two have carried the Chiefs to four Super Bowl appearances in five years. That means the hot dogs have to have a special connection, too.
The Mahomes dog comes with pulled pork, pickles, and jalapeños and is crowned with a fried egg.
The Kelce dog gets wrapped in bacon. It comes with guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle mayo, and three onion rings to match.
East Texas is waiting for Mahomes to beat the formidable San Francisco 49ers. Munoz, of course, wants to meet the man who inspired her.
"I want him here," Munoz said. "I demand he needs to come and see what he's done."
In the meantime, Whitehouse Mayor James Wansley declared Sunday Patrick Mahomes Day--again.
"It's easy to get complacent about performance to say we've been there," he said. "It's nothing new. It's amazing to me every time."
Coach Jared Freeman met Mahomes at the local high school fifteen years ago. He said he knew right away the NFL was in his future.
Mahomes' former coach is confident about his former player going into Super Bowl LVIII.
"He shows up every week. He's Showtime," Freeman said. "That's what they used to call him."
