Sports Illustrated have stepped in to defend Brittany Mahomes on Instagram after an array of comments criticizing her for her swimsuit photoshoot in Belize.

The wife of the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes shared a video her shoot on Thursday and announced that she was joining Sports Illustrated as a swimsuit rookie.

Mahomes, 28, was met mostly with compliments and praise at the news but she still appears to be a divisive figure for some – and it prompted SI to intervene in the comments on Instagram.

One fan wrote that they ‘just can’t warm up to this lady’ and another commented saying ‘cringing’.

But a different fan wrote how the haters ‘need to take a seat and read about how amazing Brittany is’ and that ‘some of you in the comments need to start lifting women up rather than tearing them down’.

Sports Illustrated commented under that saying: ‘Couldn’t have said it any better’.

They also commented on a separate post in the comments which read how ‘it’s refreshing to see a woman defined by her accomplishments… great job to brittney and to SI for focusing on her WORK’.

SI wrote back: ‘A true inspiration to us all’.

In an SI interview to go alongside her announcement, Mahomes said: ‘I want women to feel empowered to always be yourself, love yourself and feel confident in whatever you do.

‘Be confident in who you are and be unapologetically yourself. People are going to love you or hate you, but finding your values and what makes you the best version of yourself is what really matters.

I want people to know they can accomplish anything, even things you never thought would be possible in your wildest dreams.’

Brittany is currently in Vegas ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl, where husband Patrick is vying for his third title at the age of just 28.

They face the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday night.