The footage originated from the Chiefs’ 33-30 overtime victory against the Colts on September 20, 2026, which pushed Kansas City’s season record to 2-0.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI: A sideline video of Patrick Mahomes taking a drink from a small bottle during the matchup between the Chiefs and the Colts has recently made waves across social media.
Accpanied by a playful caption suggesting the Kansas City quarterback was sipping vodka, the post quickly racked up over a million views and hundreds of comments, with fans either laughing at the moment or contrasting it with standard athlete hydration habits. Naturally, this raised a question among viewers: Was Mahomes actually consuming alcohol during the game?
Claim: Patrick Mahomes was seen drinking vodka from a small container on the sideline
The online rumor started when an X user posted a snippet of Patrick Mahomes drinking a yellowish liquid out of a miniature bottle during the Kansas City Chiefs showdown with the Indianapolis Colts.
The person who shared the video added the caption, “Mahomes downing some vodka before the game?” While the post implied the bottle contained hard liquor, it offered zero proof to back up the claim.
As noted, the clip stems from the Chiefs’ thrilling 33-30 overtime win over the Colts on September 20, 2026, a victory that advanced Kansas City to a 2-0 record.
Mahomes put up stellar numbers that day, racking up 382 passing yards and three touchdowns. Shortly after the final whistle, the brief clip of him taking a quick swallow from the small bottle began making the rounds online, with various accounts jokingly claiming he was drinking during the contest.
Accounts like @BronGotGame amplified the narrative by framing the beverage as vodka.
Fact Check: False; Mahomes was not drinking vodka
The rumor that Patrick Mahomes was consuming vodka—or any alcoholic beverage—on the field is entirely untrue. Numerous sports journalists and media outlets confirmed that the liquid inside the bottle was actually pickle juice.
In fact, the Kansas City Chiefs routinely incorporate pickle juice into their hydration strategy to prevent and treat muscle cramps during practices and games.
Mahomes himself has previously addressed this quirky routine. Back in 2020, he mentioned that he has been taking small “shots” of pickle juice for precisely this reason ever since his high school days.
Coverage following the September 20, 2026 game quickly debunked the viral alcohol rumors, explicitly identifying the drink as pickle juice.
While the original post was clearly intended as a joke, complete with laughing emojis and a tongue-in-cheek suggestion about vodka, community notes and reporters stepped in to set the record straight.
Although the brief video doesn’t provide a crystal-clear look at the label, Mahomes’ own past remarks and the team’s well-documented use of pickle juice easily explain the contents of the bottle. Ultimately, no legitimate news source or official representative has provided any evidence to support the idea that Mahomes was drinking alcohol.