$106 Billion Company Reunites Patrick Mahomes & Saquon Barkley for 1st Time Since Super Bowl

Disney launched a campaign-sized spectacle for Upfront this year. Patrick Mahomes and Saquon Barkley took the stage together to introduce CEO Bob Iger, which set the tone from the first minute. “I’ve not seen you since you won the Super Bowl,” Iger told Barkley, nodding to the unforgettable moment when the two last shared the NFL’s biggest stage in February.

Maybe a personal reunion for Pat, making him relive his SB LIX ghost right in front of him. But a $106 billion company like Disney doesn’t give much dime to that. It was a strategic statement about the kind of cultural weight Disney brings when it merges storytelling, sports, and star power.

Rita Ferro, Disney’s President of Global Advertising, quickly seized the moment. Addressing a packed room of advertisers and agency execs, Ferro didn’t mince words: “Disney offers an unrivaled platform for advertisers seeking scale, innovation, and powerful storytelling.” Over 164 million global ad-supported monthly active users and a staggering 200,000 hours of premium content. It’s safe to say that those numbers were disruptive. Disney is no longer just a content behemoth. It’s positioning itself as a data-rich, tech-powered advertising ecosystem.

And that ecosystem has teeth, especially in sports. Barkley’s presence wasn’t ornamental. His move from New York to Philadelphia could’ve ruffled feathers in the Upfront crowd, but Disney softened the blow with Knicks legends Patrick Ewing, Allan Houston, and John Starks. Meanwhile, ESPN rolled out a new all-women sports show Vibe Check, proving its long-term commitment. “ESPN is true to women’s sports, not new to women’s sports,” Elle Duncan reminded the crowd. It’s not just about inclusivity. But it’s about real audience growth, with a 54% uptick in viewership across WNBA, gymnastics, volleyball, and beyond.

For Mahomes, the Disney connection runs deeper than a mic’d-up appearance. With The Kingdom, an ESPN original series on the Kansas City Chiefs, Disney’s betting on Mahomes’ magnetism to drive sports storytelling to new heights. It’s part of a bigger strategy. One that includes Chad Powers, Monday Night Football, and Super Bowl LXI on ABC and ESPN. In other words, the Mouse House is running the entire sports offense.

But this wasn’t all play and no pitch. The rollout of the Disney Experience Composer and Disney Compass highlighted how advertisers will soon be able to engage with fans across platforms in unprecedented ways. As Ferro said, “With the upcoming launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer offering… we’re redefining what’s possible in advertising.” The message was crystal clear: Disney is no longer chasing attention; it owns it, curates it, and packages it for maximum ROI. And with Pat ‘Showtime’ Mahomes hungry for more after Saquon and Co. stopped him, well, the company knows where to cash in.

Patrick Mahomes is using the SB LIX loss as fuel for the 2025 season

If the Chiefs’ game plan in Super Bowl LIX was to shut down Saquon Barkley, they got the job done. After all, coming into the championship game, Barkley had bulldozed his way to 2,000 rushing yards during the regular season, averaged just 2.3 yards a carry. So, you know it was obvious that KC would have gone after him. At halftime? Only 34 total yards on 15 touches for Saquon. But Philly didn’t need Barkley to go nuclear. Their system was bigger than any one player. Mahomes got flustered. The Eagles didn’t blink.

That opening quarter was a blueprint. Jalen Hurts found Jahan Dotson for a 27-yard bullet. While Barkley didn’t run it, but his blitz pickup made it happen. But then came the inevitable as the Eagles punched it in with a Tush Push. Well, that was the start of a dismantling.

From there, it unraveled. Sack. Sack. Pick-six. Four plays that looked like something you’d expect from a rookie QB thrown into the fire, not the reigning king. Patrick Mahomes was just done after the loss: “We didn’t start how we wanted to. The turnovers hurt. I take all the blame for that.” And yeah, the box score didn’t flinch—three giveaways, six sacks, 34-0 hole. This wasn’t just a loss. It was a gut punch.

But here’s where it turns. Mahomes doesn’t crumble. He reloads. Ask teammate Charles Omenihu, who spelled it out in February: “On a revenge tour. Extreme focus. Taking even more control of the organization.” It started quietly, like Mahomes was building in stealth mode. By March, he looked leaner, sharper. April rolled in, and he was running drills with receivers like it was Week 1 already. No distractions. Just timing, rhythm, precision.

And then? His annual Texas offseason wrapped with one final message. Trainer Bobby Stroupe put it plain: “A pack of wildcats is called a destruction.” Mahomes heard the noise. He felt the collapse. And now, he’s circling back. Not just to bounce back, but to reset the standard.

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