“It’s only right that I say how much I appreciate what he’s brought to the team,” ESPN reported head coach Billy Napier’s statement after they lost to Tennessee on Saturday. Florida Gators and Napier are in the headlines after they lost to Tennessee 17-23 on Saturday. By this time, you might have guessed all the wrong reasons for Napier being in the spotlight. Yes, the criticism is very loud and clear that he might also lose his job.

Meanwhile, the Gators are struggling to maintain their winning streak. Additional challenges with quarterback Graham Mertz’s recent injury have added fuel to their current devasting status. It is confirmed that Mertz will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee. After the quarterback announced his injury and made the decision to rest for the season, the rising talent of the Texas Longhorns, Arch Manning, has shown solidarity and support. He used a player emoji and joined the Gators nation in praying for their Florida quarterback, Mertz.

The injury is not only very serious but has also ended Graham Mertz’s college career. A few hours ago, in a heartfelt message to Gators fans, the player expressed his gratitude for being part of the team for two long years. He took to Instagram to share the message and captioned it, “Gator Nation, thank you for two incredible years in Gainesville. Unfortunately, I suffered a torn ACL against Tennessee and will miss the remainder of the season. During my recovery, I will remain a part of the program and do whatever I can in meeting rooms and from the sideline to help my teammates win. I want to thank everyone for the outpouring of support during this time. #GoGators 🐊”

It is very heartbreaking for Gators fans, players, and head coach to see their sixth-year senior leave them because of an injury. Although it is a noncontract injury, it is a major setback for Florida and Napier, especially because of their status in CFB. Mertz faced the injury when he threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Arlis Boardingham during the third quarter.

Now let’s see how Gators fans reacted after Mertz shared the news with fans.

“God Has a Plan”: Fans rally around Graham Mertz after injury

Mertz ended his 2024 season with a 76.6 completion rate for 791 yards, and he scored 6 touchdowns with two interceptions. As soon as the QB posted his farewell, the post was flooded with love and appreciation. Considering the sacrifice he made in the last few years, one of the fans wrote, “MERTZ, you sacrificed your body and health for the logo on your chest, orange and blue always.”

The quarterback started his college career in 2020. The former Kansas player achieved a 64.7% completion rate, throwing for 9,099 yards, 64 touchdowns, and 31 interceptions. Out of these, 26 touchdowns were made during his time in Florida. Another fan acknowledged his time with the Gators and gave him lots of virtual love and blessings: “God has a plan, brother. What a ride and what a career! Praying for you family.” Meanwhile, another loyal fan joined the online conversation, showered some more love and commented, “They could never make us hate u Mertz”

The comments are not stopping; it’s been just 2 hours, but we are sure Mertz’s phone is heating up and notifications are buzzing in his ears. A fan wrote a short message for his favorite player,  which conveys deep affection and gratitude, “Graham ❤️🐊thanks for the lasseasons. ons I still can’t stop tearing up knowing you won’t be out there but you’ll heal up n be in the league your great qb luv our moments togther will cherish them forever just member your last play was a touchdown.”

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Coming Saturday, the Gators will return home and play against Kentucky. Napier and his squad need to focus and start playing some serious games because after next week they will face ranked teams like Georgia, No. 1 Texas, and No. 8 LSU.