Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman talks game-winning touchdown, parents' role in his success

Mecole Hardman Jr. caught the game-winning, walk-off touchdown in the Kansas City Chiefs' most recent Super Bowl victory.

The wide receiver has been part of three Super Bowl wins with the Chiefs but the free agent does not yet know if he'll be part of the roster for the upcoming season.

That uncertainty, and much more, was addressed by Hardman during his visit Sunday evening at the Aetos Center for the Performing Arts, part of the Nixa High School campus.

The event raised money for Nixa's Care to Learn program, which meets the health, hunger and hygiene needs of students.

Hardman took the stage Sunday in front of an enthusiastic crowd of roughly 300, many of whom were clad in Chiefs shirts and jerseys, and was interviewed by local sports icons Art Hains and Ned Reynolds. There were a lot of parents who attended with their children.

Hardman, who just finished his sixth season in the NFL, talked about his upbringing, close-knit family, years playing for the University of Georgia, and being selected by the Chiefs in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft.

He said from the start, the professional team practiced at "full speed," like a college team. "That is the one thing that makes the Chiefs the Chiefs, the way they practice. They practice very hard."

The 26-year-old described Andy Reid, who has led the Chiefs since 2013, as a "player's coach" who no one wants to disappoint. "You want to play for him. You want to do your best for him."

Once drafted, Hardman said he was most excited to play alongside wide receiver Tyreek Hill — who is now with the Miami Dolphins — but then quickly grew to respect quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce and other teammates.

"When you get there, you realize it's really a family there. They welcome you with open arms," he said.

But he said team leaders, especially Mahomes, will challenge new players to see what they've got. "It was hard at first because I feel like they were trying to test me. Pat would overthrow the ball on purpose. Like, he might not admit to that but I know for a fact."

Hardman said the improvisation and quick pivoting learned in practice paid off in games, especially when he caught the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl.

He said anyone looking at that highlight reel catch will notice he was not initially looking at Mahomes. "Look at my eyes. I was looking directly in the backfield. I wasn't even looking at Pat at all."

Hardman admitted when he caught it "everything else kind of blacked out" and it was a couple seconds before he "came back to life." He just held the ball and the magnitude of the moment sunk in.

"I wish I could go back ... and do a celebration or something or wave," he said. "... I just see Pat running at me like 'We just won' and I'm like 'I know.'"

He said Kelce is a team leader and has an undeniable love for the game. "He is a very consistent person and he's always himself. He doesn't change for nobody."

More: Richard Dreyfuss coming to Nixa in May to talk about 40-year acting career, citizenship

Hardman said he hopes to return to the Chiefs and they're talking but he does not expect any decisions to be made until after the 2024 NFL Draft next week.

"All I can do is keep working and wait for a call, whether it is them or somebody else," he said, prompting the Aetos crowd to make clear they wanted him back in a red jersey.

There is also an unresolved controversy, which was not discussed Sunday. Hardman briefly played for the New York Jets before rejoining the Chiefs and a report has circulated that the Jets believe he leaked game plan specifics ahead of games against the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles. Hardman has denied the allegation but it's unclear if the NFL is investigating.

Mecole Hardman offers advice to student athletes

Hardman was asked what advice he'd impart to student athletes in the audience who want to play at the college or professional level. He encouraged them to start by taking an unvarnished look at their skill level.

"First is be honest with yourself, are you really good enough to actually play in college, make it to that level? I never thought that I would make it to the college level until I got around college-ready athletes that had offers," he said.

He told the students: "Set goals, where you want to be at, what you want to do, what you want to accomplish and really stand by those goals. And you've got to make sacrifices, too."

Hardman said there will be times when student athletes must train or practice rather than hanging out with friends.

"Work hard, be a good student in the classroom because your grades have to be up to par, for sure, to actually get into a big college because they are going to ask for your transcripts," he said.

Hardman grew up in an athletic family in Bowman, Georgia — with less than 1,000 residents — and started playing football, and many other sports, at age 5.

He remains close to both parents and spends time with family and his childhood friends during the off-season.

"I go home, see parents, siblings, just chill. I like to fish. I go back home and fish a lot," Hardman said. "I do things for special needs kids back in my hometown so I go back and try to see some of my kids."

Hardman said his dad focused on sports and his mom focused on school. He said in an effort to "make both of them happy," he practiced long hours and became a straight-A student in high school.

He said they taught him "your character will take you a long way," that nothing is free, and to just "be yourself" and work hard.

Care to Learn

The Mecole Hardman event raised money for Nixa's Care to Learn, which has seen steady growth in its weekend backpack food program.

Any student who qualifies for free or reduced price school meals, a national measure of poverty, is eligible for the program.

Annie Zimmerman, chapter liaison, said each bag contains 11 items, a mix of meals and snacks, to help sustain the child until they can return to school.

"We have more students enrolled in that program this year than ever before," she said. "We send out 411 food bags per week."

Zimmerman said groceries have become more expensive and each food bag costs between $7 and $8.

"We have spent a little over $100,000 this school year, just on food ... so obviously the fundraising side of things, an event like the Mecole Hardman event, is huge for us to be able to supplement that budget and fill that need."

It is too early to know how much the event raised for Care to Learn in Nixa but donations are still being accepted. Anyone interested in giving can go to caretolearn.org/Nixa.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman tells life story, offers advice in Nixa visit