Sopphie Cunningham sends a direct message to Patrick Mahomes after showing how powerful her arm is
WNBA star Sophie Cunningham channels Patrick Mahomes with a jaw-dropping deep throw
Few athletes can boast an arm capable of throwing a deep pass at the level of Patrick Mahomes , but Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham showed that she also has talent for American football—and even allowed herself to joke with the two-time NFL MVP.
Before one of the Fever’s recent games, Cunningham took a small football, signed it, and threw it into the stands for a fan. The result surprised everyone: her first throw came out with so much power that it nearly reached the farthest sections of the stadium.
The WNBA player didn’t stop there. Shortly afterward she tried again with another ball, this time simulating a punt. Although the throw wasn’t as precise, it once again traveled a great distance and left those who witnessed the scene impressed.
Even one of the security guards reacted after her first throw with a warning amid laughter: “Don’t go and hurt your arm.”
Cunningham seized the moment to make a comparison that quickly drew attention on social media. When sharing the video on X, she joked: "call me Patrick Mahomes from here on out."
The comparison makes a certain amount of sense. Cunningham was born in Missouri and played college basketball at the University of Missouri , so her connection to the Kansas City Chiefs is clear. In addition, Mahomes is recognized precisely for one of his greatest strengths: an arm capable of making throws that few quarterbacks in NFL history have achieved.
The quarterback again demonstrated that ability during the Chiefs’ Week 2 victory over the Indianapolis Colts . Since returning from the ACL tear he suffered in December 2025 , Mahomes has accumulated 566 passing yards, five touchdowns, and one interception, plus a rushing touchdown.
Meanwhile, Cunningham and the Fever arrive in strong form after defeating the Minnesota Lynx 96-77 , a game in which the player contributed 11 points off the bench.
Indiana and Minnesota will face each other again on Thursday, September 24, in the regular-season finale. Both teams are playoff-bound: the Lynx lead the league with a 32-11 record, while the Fever sit second in the Eastern Conference at 28-15 .
In her second season with Indiana, Cunningham is averaging 8 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game. She has appeared in 42 contests, three of them as a starter.
