Patrick Mahomes Forced to Break Silence After Leaving Dylan Raiola Unhappy

“Holy (expletive), it’s Patrick Mahomes!” The reaction cut through a star-studded night at Arrowhead, where Nebraska kicked off a much-hyped season with a showdown against Cincinnati. Fans had been waiting months to see Dylan Raiola step onto a big stage again. But Raiola walked in with a little extra hype. Thanks to none other than Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes had promised his young protégé he’d be there. Not just as a casual guest, but as a mentor putting his stamp of approval on Nebraska’s new field general.

See, when an icon like Mahomes shows up in a Nebraska crowd, essentially siding with Raiola against Travis Kelce’s (congrats on the engagement!) old Cincinnati Bearcats, you know it’s serious. And sure enough, Mahomes delivered the promise. He was spotted in the stands with his wife before kickoff. He was seen cheering, clapping, dapping up fans, playing the role of proud big brother. But just as the game was starting to really swing, Mahomes did an early dispersal and slipped out. See, the night was full of star power, with other celebrities like Chiefs tight end Kelce, Kelce’s fiancée, Taylor Swift, and more also in attendance.

Despite this star-studded crowd, Mahomes left the game before the final whistle, slipping out in the last seven minutes. Imagine Raiola at that point. He missed out on a crucial opportunity to get a pat on the back from his mentor after the game. That definitely struck him hard. But here’s the thing, Mahomes had a pretty obvious reason for leaving the game early. And he even conveyed it via comment when @bleacherreport’s Instagram page posted a video of him and Brittany dispersing. “Got to wake up with the kids in the morning, my bad 😂😂,” he wrote. Yeah, sometimes we tend to forget that behind that swagger is a loving father of two kids.

As any parent knows, even the biggest football stars have to get up early to tend to their children, and that was the reason Mahomes needed to head out early. But one thing’s for sure, when Raiola took the field wearing the same number 15 and displaying similar mannerisms, Mahomes was visibly proud. He showed full support and pride for Raiola, who enjoyed a strong game with 243 passing yards and two touchdowns. Also, Mahomes’ presence sparked a bit of confusion and excitement among the fans as they first caught sight of what they thought was the Chiefs’ superstar about to take the field for Nebraska.

Double take! Is Mahomes suited up for Nebraska?

The whole scene at the Arrowhead Stadium became a memorable, lighthearted, and starstruck moment for fans caught between reality and a striking resemblance. The resemblance is too much to ignore. So much so that when Raiola walked into Arrowhead wearing his signature curls, trimmed goatee, and confident stride, fans swore it was Mahomes himself. Social media instantly exploded with memes, side-by-side photo comparisons, and jokes calling Raiola “Mahomes 2.0” or the “long-lost twin.”

Some even joked that the Chiefs should just let Raiola suit up in red and gold. This uncanny look-alike moment had fans shaking their heads and doing double takes. It created one of those rare and fun sports moments where you’re not sure if you’re witnessing identity theft or just pure coincidence. Raiola, fully aware of the buzz, has responded to the comparisons with a good sense of humor. He said, “I can’t get mad at God for making me look like him.”

He subtly stated that he is intent on forging his own path. Now, Mahomes’ early dismissal may have sparked a lot of complaints from Raiola. But the win over the Bearcats may be used as a painkiller. And especially when a former Bearcat was also sitting in the stands with his fiancée, Taylor Swift by his side. Now, Mahomes might have been really happy with his protégé’s win. But his teammate and partner in crime, Travis Kelce’s former college team’s loss was also a tough pill to swallow.