Patrick Mahomes and the rest of NFL Twitter couldn’t get enough of “Jets kid” Kyle Stickles, who announced New York’s first-round pick.
The star of the 2023 NFL Draft wasn’t Roger Goodell or any of the players who took the stage, though they certainly had their moments.
No, it was Kyle Stickles, the 13-year-old cancer survivor selected by the Make-A-Wish Foundation to announce the Jets first round pick, defensive end Will McDonald IV.
To say that Stickles aced his time at the podium would be an understatement. He absolutely smashed it.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes couldn’t help but give the kid his due.
“Shoutout to Kyle Stickles for bringing the energy!!!!!” Mahomes tweeted.
And he was far from the only one who absolutely loved “Jets kid.”
Patrick Mahomes and NFL Twitter loved ‘Jets kid’ Kyle Stickles
Stickles was diagnosed with bone cancer when he was 11 years old. The fact that he could even walk to the podium and stand on his own two feet is a sign of the hard work he put in while fighting the cancer.
He’s a true inspiration for his resilience as well as his passion for the Jets, which was palpable on stage at the draft.
It’s easy to suspect that no one will want McDonald to succeed in New York more than Stickles.
McDonald starred at Iowa State where he racked up 40.5 tackles for loss and 34 sacks over 48 games. He’s long and loose and should make life difficult for the quarterbacks in the AFC East. At least, that’s what Robert Saleh and company are hoping for.
