The Kansas City Chiefs missing the playoffs would already be a shock for most Texas Tech Red Raiders fans, given that the franchise is led by one of the greatest players to ever come out of the Texas Tech football program.
But the news became far more jarring when Patrick Mahomes officially suffered a torn ACL, an injury that will sideline the Chiefs quarterback for the foreseeable future and force him into a long, grueling rehabilitation process.
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For fans in Lubbock, the concern goes beyond the NFL playoff picture. Mahomes remains a central figure in Texas Tech athletics, even years after leaving campus.
His injury immediately sparked an outpouring of support from across the sports world, ranging from former NFL quarterbacks to current players, celebrities, and, most notably, the fanbase that followed him during his college career.
Despite being sidelined, Mahomes wasted little time showing where his focus and loyalty remain.
Mahomes gets behind Red Raiders basketball team
On Saturday, he publicly threw his support behind the Texas Tech Red Raiders men’s basketball team as they pulled off a dramatic 82-81 victory over the Duke Blue Devils at Madison Square Garden.
The win came against an 11-1 Duke squad and capped off a tense, physical contest on one of college basketball’s biggest stages.
Following the game, Mahomes took to X to celebrate the moment, posting the following message verbatim: “Big time dubs!!! @TexasTechMBB way to ball! @chrisanders2024.”
The game itself was anything but straightforward for Texas Tech. The Red Raiders jumped out to a stunning 9-0 start, forcing Duke head coach Jon Scheyer to burn a timeout less than two minutes in.
From there, the Blue Devils responded with authority, outscoring Grant McCasland‘s team 46-27 over the remainder of the first half.
Freshman forward Cameron Boozer proved difficult to contain, combining crafty spins, physical drives, and dominant rebounding. Duke‘s hot shooting from beyond the arc further exposed the size disadvantage facing the Red Raiders, who entered halftime needing answers.
Those answers came after the break. Although Duke briefly extended its momentum early in the second half, Texas Tech responded with a decisive 20-5 run that cut the deficit to 63-61 with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Texas Tech benefit from missed opportunities
The teams traded punches down the stretch, but missed free throws by the Blue Devils opened the door late.
That door was kicked in by Christian Anderson. The Texas Tech guard delivered a scorching performance, finishing with a game-high 27 points and knocking down clutch shots when they mattered most.
With Texas Tech clinging to an 82-81 lead, Boozer‘s final 3-point attempt rimmed out, sealing the upset.
As Mahomes begins his recovery away from the football field, moments like this illustrate exactly what is keeping him engaged.
While the road back to health will be long, his public support of Texas Tech shows that his connection to the program remains as strong as ever-and that fans can likely expect more messages of encouragement as his rehab continues.
