Kansas City Chiefs gear is sold at the corner of Highway 110 and Main Street in Whitehouse. (Brandon Ogden/Tyler Morning Telegraph)

WHITEHOUSE — Normally, the choice of color in the City of Whitehouse is maroon.

Almost like clockwork, the second week of February has turned into “Paint the Town Red” thanks to the success of the city’s hometown football legend, Patrick Mahomes.

The standout quarterback has taken the NFL and the country by storm since the Kansas City Chiefs drafted him out of Texas Tech in 2017.

“Mahomes Mania” is year-round in Whitehouse but reaches its zenith during Super Bowl week as Whitehouse adopts the Chiefs’ red and gold color scheme.

Mahomes has led the Chiefs to seven consecutive AFC Championship Game appearances and five Super Bowl bids since becoming their starting quarterback in 2018. He is one of five quarterbacks in NFL history to win three or more Super Bowls as a starter.

He will lead the Chiefs against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday in Super LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. (TV: FOX, Radio: The Team 92.1-FM).

While Whitehouse has not erected a “Welcome to Whitehouse, Home of Patrick Mahomes” sign yet, the businesses around town show love as the native’s “Mahomies.”

“I’ve been a Kansas City fan from way back, way before Patrick became their quarterback,” said Chris Raymond, of Kelly Air Conditioning & Heating, Inc. “Having Patrick on the team is just icing on the cake. The Chiefs are going to win. I think Patrick will throw for 276 yards and three touchdowns.”

Raymond has a man cave adorned with KC memorabilia, which has only expanded since Mahomes became QB1 for the Chiefs.

Shawna Driggers, who came up with the idea of the Whitehouse Area Chamber of Commerce’s “Paint the Town Red” campaign back in 2020, has been a football and Mahomes fan for many years.

She was first a cheerleader at Kilgore and later married “a Whitehouse boy (Cody Driggers).”

“Cody played high school football and we both just love high school football,” said Driggers who is a Texas Notary Public and works at Kelly A/C & Heating, Inc. “We support Whitehouse and all the area football teams. We have followed Patrick since he was (a freshman) at Whitehouse. I remember the games with John Tyler when they played at Rose Stadium and they sold T-shirts that said ‘Flush that John.”

Driggers added it makes it easy to root for Mahomes because “he is such a good guy.”

“My daughter, Emma Kate, and Patrick’s little sister and (Patrick’s mother) Randi’s daughter, Mia, are the same age,” Driggers said. “They played on the same softball team and Patrick donated all the equipment and cleats to the team.”

Mahomes is known for his philanthropy, including his “15 and the Mahomies Foundation” which aims to improve the lives of children. The foundation focuses on health, wellness and underserved communities.

Driggers added, “so many athletes from our area like Patrick and Josh Tomlin (former Major League Baseball pitcher) never forget about East Texas and always give back to the community.”

Kelly’s is adorned with Chiefs signs inside and out, along with window paintings.

The big game may be in the Big Easy, but its economic impact is being felt more than 400 miles away in this East Texas town as well as a little north in Tyler and throughout East Texas.

Just driving through Whitehouse, the businesses are awash in red and gold, along with the No. 15 and images of Mahomes as well as his best buddy and tight end No. 87 Travis Kelce.

Even on the corner of Highway 110 and Main Street, Mahomes’ jerseys and other souvenirs are available.

Also during the week, a Patrick Mahomes life-size poster circulated through town with townspeople taking their photo with the “Flat Pat” at Whitehouse Chamber of Commerce businesses to show support for Mahomes in his quest to lead his team to three straight Super Bowl championships, which would be a first in NFL history.