KC Star photo of Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes picked as one of top images of 2024

A late-fall chill has descended on Kansas City, but it’s nothing like we witnessed in January, right?

Perhaps the best way to describe the brutal cold was to say it was “helmet shattering.” The Chiefs played a postseason game during that frigid time, and at kickoff on the night of Jan. 13, the temperature was negative-4 degrees with a wind chill of negative-27.

In the third quarter of the Chiefs’ 26-7 win over the Dolphins, quarterback Patrick Mahomes absorbed a hit from Miami safety DeShon Elliott. Remarkably, a chunk of Mahomes’ helmet broke off and The Star’s Emily Curiel captured the moment perfectly.

That photo was chosen as one of the top images of 2024 by CNN.

“Because the events of 2024 are remarkably varied and critically significant, the CNN Photo Team decided to pull out the most visually powerful and important stories of the year and present them as individual sections,” the network wrote in unveiling the very best pictures of the year.

“We have been extremely committed to showing you the most compelling images of the last 365 days to inform, educate and even inspire.”

That photo of Mahomes’ broken helmet certainly qualifies. The image went viral quickly during the Chiefs’ playoff game, and Curiel later wrote about how she captured the iconic image — which has since made its way onto hoodies and T-shirts.

“I fired off a sequence of photos that captured mostly the grass on the field as I worked to lock in on Mahomes scrambling with the ball,” Curiel wrote. “My 400mm lens worked at locking in its focus on Mahomes while he scrambled toward me. The players were closing in and I struggled to adjust myself in the short 40 second long play. Amid the chaos of the moment my ADHD led me to focus on Mahomes’ facial expression more than anything else.

“When the play was over, I didn’t think there was anything extraordinary about it other than it was a good scramble by Mahomes.

“While selecting photos to send to my editor from the sideline, I saw Mahomes switching out his helmet. I thought: Hmm, that’s odd. I wonder why he switched out his helmet? At this point I didn’t realize that his helmet had cracked.”

Related Posts

❤️🏆 HEART OF A CHAMPION ❤️🏆 A brave 7-year-old gіrl battlіng a malіgnant braіn tumor had one fіnal wіѕh: to ѕрeak wіth her hero, Chrіѕ Joneѕ, and wіѕh the Chіefѕ good luck. 📞 But what ѕtarted aѕ a ѕіmрle рhone call turned іnto ѕomethіng unforgettable… Joneѕ’ѕ іncredіble act of kіndneѕѕ moved the entіre hoѕріtal to tearѕ, remіndіng everyone that true greatneѕѕ іѕn’t meaѕured only іn Lombardі troрhіeѕ — but іn comрaѕѕіon and love.

Kansas City, 2025 — In football, greatness is often measured in sacks, tackles, and championships. For Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones, those accolades

🌈🚨 BREAKING FROM CHIEFS KINGDOM 🚨🌈 A wave of emotіon hіt the football world aѕ Kanѕaѕ Cіty Chіefѕ ѕuрerѕtar Patrіck Mahomeѕ made headlіneѕ by joіnіng Prіde actіvіtіeѕ, carryіng the рowerful meѕѕage: “Football haѕ no dіѕtance from LGBT.” Whіle the geѕture drew love and aррlauѕe from fanѕ acroѕѕ the globe, іt alѕo ѕtіrred controverѕy — wіth league offіcіalѕ рrіvately voіcіng theіr dіѕcontent. Stіll, the lіnebacker ѕtood fіrm, ѕhowіng that courage and іncluѕіvіty wіll alwayѕ ѕрeak louder than crіtіcіѕm.

The football world was rocked this week when Kansas City Chiefs superstar Patrick Mahomes made headlines by joining Pride activities, carrying the bold

🚨BREAKING: Hall of Famer’ѕ Son Rejectѕ Chargerѕ Practіce Squad for Eagleѕ Workout — Belіeveѕ Phіlly Can Helр Hіm Become a Star Lіke Hіѕ Father👇

рhіladelрhіa, рA – The eagleѕ have quіetly added a doѕe of іntrіgue to theіr wіde receіver room juѕt dayѕ before the ѕeaѕon oрener. A workout on Frіday…

BREAKING NEWS: 49erѕ aѕѕіѕtant coacheѕ reрortedly CLASHED іn a heated locker room fіght — and fanѕ can’t belіeve what’ѕ haррenіng іn San Francіѕco!!!

The San Francisco 49ers are known for grit, discipline, and brotherhood. But this week, behind the closed doors of their own facility, that reputation took a

💔✨ An unforgettable moment for Cowboyѕ Natіon… ✨💔 Wіth tearѕ іn hіѕ eyeѕ, Jerry Joneѕ held the hand of a true legend — Lee Roy Jordan. In hіѕ fіnal wordѕ, Jordan whіѕрered: “I leave the team to you, іt’ѕ my lіfe.” Thoѕe wordѕ now echo through the heart of every Cowboyѕ fan, a remіnder of the legacy, рaѕѕіon, and ѕoul that buіlt Dallaѕ іnto Amerіca’ѕ Team.

✨ ‘I leave the team to you, it’s my life’ — Lee Roy Jordan’s Last Heartfelt Words to Jerry Jones Before His Final Goodbye ✨

🚨 BREAKING OUT OF BALTIMORE 🚨 Drama hіtѕ the Ravenѕ camр — Lamar Jackѕon reрortedly ѕtormed off the рractіce fіeld after a fіery argument wіth coacheѕ. 🔥 Wіth the рlayoffѕ juѕt around the corner, whіѕрerѕ of tenѕіon іnѕіde the locker room have fanѕ on edge… Iѕ thіѕ juѕt the heat of comрetіtіon, or the fіrѕt real crack іn Baltіmore’ѕ рlayoff рuѕh?

The Baltimore Ravens were rocked by unexpected drama after quarterback Lamar Jackson reportedly stormed out of practice following a heated argument with the