Niles Fitch is enjoying a phenomenal run on the NBC hit television series This Is Us. He’s also thrilled to watch Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl.
Randall Pearson is from a Pittsburgh Steelers family. The man who plays Pearson as a young adult, Niles Fitch, is an Atlanta native and diehard Falcons fan.
Yet come Super Bowl 54, Fitch’s allegiance lies with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Fitch, 18, sees the same wunderkind in Mahomes everyone else does. The arm talent, the mobility, the swag. Fitch also sees the mentality, one that resonates with a kid who grew up loving Kobe Bryant much for the same reason.
“His confidence,” Fitch says about why he loves watching Mahomes. “I’m actually surprised his confidence hasn’t been used against him. That’s usually something people don’t like. When they were losing against the (Houston) Texans you could tell he wasn’t happy but for some reason his confidence never faded, and once they scored their first seven points, you could tell they were coming back. That’s bigger than sports, that’s that Mamba mentality.”
Mahomes’ belief in himself is something the ascendant actor believes is a common trait among those who find success.
“I believe that’s how you should be in life,” Fitch said. “You should approach things with a certain confidence and determination.”
While we wait on Super Bowl 54 in Miami come Feb. 2, This Is Us continues to roll on as one of the more iconic television shows in recent memory. The NBC program was an immediate success upon its arrival in 2016, showcasing the Pearson family at different stages in their lives. Despite most of the cast being relatively unknown before the series began, it has become a must-watch on Tuesday nights for many, touching on the real emotions in everyday life for legions of fans.
For Fitch, his role has grown through the four seasons. As the show has progressed, we’ve learned more about Randall’s relationship with his wife, Beth, and how the couple came to be in college. It’s a journey defined largely by Randall’s charming shyness and grand gestures, along with the shared tragedies of both losing their fathers just prior to enrolling in college.
As for Fitch, he’s happy with how the writers have continued to evolve his character. Of course, getting the chance to showcase his love for sports wouldn’t be the worst route if it’s taken.
“In season 1, Randall played football for a little while back in high school, so I got to be a linebacker in one episode and got to go against Kevin, which was pretty fun,” Fitch said laughing. “…It’s good enough for me right now. For right now.”