Patrick Mahomes (Getty Images)Patrick Mahomes was present watching Messi at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, yet somehow he ended up at the centre of one of the tournament's most heated debates. Former USMNT forward Taylor Twellman, now an MLS commentator for Apple TV, lit up social media after ESPN's Albert Breer criticised a foul call during Argentina vs. Austria, and his rebuttal dragged the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback directly into the firing line.Why is Patrick Mahomes being called an "Absolute Disgrace" by a soccer star?Twellman didn't mince words. While acknowledging soccer's own simulation problem, he argued that critics selectively target football while turning a blind eye to identical behaviour in American sports. Patrick Mahomes, specifically, was his sharpest example."If you really believe that SGA in the NBA is not really flopping, or Patrick Mahomes, the late-hit flopping that has become an absolute disgrace in the NFL, and you won't tweet about that, but you'll tweet about my sport, that's when you get my attention," Twellman said on Yahoo Sports Daily.It began when Breer posted critically about a foul call during Argentina's match against Austria, a game that already carried controversy due to a referee allowing play to continue despite an apparent foul by Alexis Mac Allister before Lionel Messi's opening goal. Twellman hit back fast. "Next time I see you, I will shoulder barge your nose. Also, where are these tweets when SGA does it EVERY time down the court????? What about when Mahomes does it???? The '90s bullying about soccer is outdated bud… flopping is an issue no doubt, but be consistent with your pet peeves."For Twellman, this wasn't about defending diving. He's been consistent on that front. "Do we have a flopping issue? Absolutely. You've never heard me defend flopping, ever. And I never will." His frustration runs deeper. American sports commentators have taken aim at soccer's simulation culture for decades while rarely applying the same lens to their own sports.What exactly is Patrick Mahomes doing that drew this comparison?The accusation against Patrick Mahomes isn't vague. Over the past few seasons, the Chiefs quarterback has made a habit of running toward the sideline, deliberately slowing near the boundary, and drawing contact from defenders who are legally required to pull up. The result is free yards, and sometimes a penalty on top.Troy Aikman called it out in real time on Monday Night Football. "He's trying to draw the penalty. Rather than just run out of bounds, he slows down. And that's been the frustration for these defensive players around the league," Aikman said.Nothing Mahomes does is technically illegal. But that argument applies to plenty of what happens in soccer too, and yet soccer consistently draws the harshest public criticism. That inconsistency is exactly what Twellman took issue with. "You cannot tell me that these American football guys don't know and haven't been exposed to soccer and football around the world for years," he said.His final point was direct. "Every sport is doing it now. I have zero problem with it. But then you better do the exact same thing for your sport. And when you don't, you're fraudulent."Twellman spent years representing the US on the international stage before transitioning into broadcasting. He understands better than most how soccer has historically been the easiest target for American sports media. This wasn't a moment of thin skin. It was someone with deep credibility in the game calling out a double standard that, frankly, has existed for a long time.