How a Chiefs trainer saved Patrick Mahomes, Super Bowl 55 from COVID-19 haircut disaster

Patrick Mahomes was in line for a haircut, in real life, not a commercial. And if the timing hadn’t been so fortunate, the Chiefs quarterback may have been a question mark for Super Bowl 55.

That’s because in the week leading up to the Super Bowl, Kansas City’s barber tested positive for COVID-19. He’d already cut Demarcus Robinson’s hair and part of Daniel Kilgore’s, so the backup wide receiver and offensive lineman both went on the COVID-19/reserve list for contact tracing reasons. But no Chiefs tested positive for COVID-19 in the final week of the NFL season, in part because of the quick thinking of a trainer.

Here’s how haircuts played such a major role in the Chiefs’ build-up to a potential Super Bowl repeat. 

Chiefs haircut COVID-19 issues, explained

Demarcus Robinson, a wide receiver, had his hair cut on Saturday away from the team facility by the same barber who would come to cut about 20 Kansas City player and staffers’ heads the next day, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Kilgore was the first in the chair Sunday.

The Chiefs had been testing the barber ahead of time, knowing he’d be giving these final haircuts and wanting to ensure no one ended up with COVID-19. The barber returned negative tests five days in a row prior to Sunday, Jan. 31.

Ahead of the Sunday haircuts, Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder gave the barber a rapid COVID-19 test, according to Fox’s Jay Glazer. The results took a little while to come in, but they showed positive while Kilgore was still in the chair. 

At that point, the Chiefs shut down the possibility of any more haircuts that day. Robinson and Kilgore would have to get five consecutive negative tests before rejoining the team, but everyone in line would be in the clear.

Inclued in the line waiting for a haircut, according to Schefter, was Chiefs superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Are any Chiefs out of Super Bowl 55 because of haircuts?

Daniel Kilgore and Demarcus Robinson are both officially active for Super Bowl 55. They had to quarantine for five days and test negative on each of them after their high-risk close contact with the barber on Sunday, Jan. 31.

With the Super Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 7, a week later, Robinson and Kilgore both rejoined the team ahead of the weekend to fly to Tampa. Kilgore is a backup offensive lineman, while Robinson is a situational wide receiver.

As the week went on, no other Kansas City players were deemed high-risk close contacts. Players all underwent COVID-19 testing twice a day throughout the week leading up to the Super Bowl, and no players were placed on the COVID-19 list ahead of Super Bowl 55. Everyone that entered the week physically healthy enough to play is active as they would be, both for the Chiefs and Buccaneers.

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