Texas Tech Professional Athletes

The Biggest Game in the AFC West in Years

Patrick Mahomes isn't just playing well — he's steering Kansas City into Week 4 with the most compelling storyline in the NFL. The Chiefs (3-0) travel to Allegiant Stadium to face an undefeated Las Vegas Raiders squad in a rare division clash where neither team has blinked. It's the first time the two franchises have met with matching unbeaten records in recent memory, and Mahomes isn't downplaying what's at stake.

The Texas Tech product went 246 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception in Kansas City's 24-10 dismantling of Miami in Week 3 — a performance that was controlled rather than electric, which is perhaps the most dangerous version of Mahomes. He's acknowledged the Raiders' 3-0 start is legitimate, calling out Maxx Crosby and Las Vegas's defense by name while pledging to expect a hostile Allegiant Stadium crowd. That's the Mahomes who tends to show up in the moments that matter most.

The MVP conversation, meanwhile, has gotten complicated — not by any opponent, but from within Kansas City's own locker room. Reports suggest Mahomes may find his own teammate crowding his candidacy at the top of the early MVP discussion. It's a good problem to have, but it's a problem nonetheless for a quarterback who has owned that award.

Also adding to the Chiefs' intrigue: Kansas City is rumored to be pursuing a trade to give Mahomes a new offensive playmaker, with reports describing the potential move as "unexciting" but purposeful. The Chiefs don't usually make noise at the trade deadline — they just win.

Rodriguez Making Noise in Miami

While the Dolphins have stumbled to 0-3 and Mahomes carved them up in Week 3, one Red Raider on the Miami defense is still earning attention for all the right reasons. Linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, a second-round pick in the 2026 draft, intercepted a pass in the loss to Kansas City and has put himself squarely in the Defensive Rookie of the Year conversation.

Rodriguez is currently the early betting favorite for DROY honors, though he was edged out for the NFL's official Defensive Rookie of the Month award by Tennessee's Anthony Hill — a distinction that could serve as bulletin-board material. The Sports Illustrated scouting community has already labeled him a potential "generational pick" for Miami, which is a bold claim for a player eight weeks into his career but not, apparently, an unreasonable one.

Rodriguez's emergence is one of the few bright spots for a Dolphins team dealing with mounting injury and roster concerns. Fellow Red Raider Caleb Douglas, a rookie wideout who had been Miami's leading receiver entering Week 3, is now dealing with an injury and did not play against Kansas City. He's listed as doubtful heading into a Week 4 road trip to face the unbeaten Vikings — not the kind of game Miami can afford to be shorthanded for.

Around the League

Romello Height, the 49ers' rookie defensive end, is expected back at practice this week after missing time with an injury. San Francisco held at 3-0 despite his absence, but Kyle Shanahan has signaled the plan is to reintegrate him ahead of the Broncos game — a welcome development for a pass rush already stretched thin.

Red Raiders are scattered across the league, but this week, all roads run through Las Vegas. If Mahomes engineers another win Sunday, the Chiefs will have a commanding grip on the AFC West — and Lubbock will have plenty to celebrate.

Texas Tech's NFL footprint is impossible to ignore in Week 3 — and two Red Raiders on opposite sidelines of Sunday's Chiefs-Dolphins matchup are driving most of the conversation.

Mahomes Is Back, and He Wants More

Any lingering doubt about Patrick Mahomes' return from a torn ACL has been put to rest in a hurry. Through two weeks, the Texas Tech product is "ripping the ball" — the assessment of an anonymous NFL executive quoted by Bleacher Report — and the numbers back it up. In the Chiefs' 33-30 overtime win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 2, Mahomes threw for 382 yards and three touchdowns, adding 17 rushing yards in a performance that helped Kansas City make NFL history alongside Travis Kelce.

The Chiefs are undefeated, early MVP odds have Mahomes at 9-1, and the quarterback himself is making sure no one in the locker room loses focus. After critics began changing their tune on Kansas City's prospects, Mahomes issued a pointed warning to his team about maintaining the hunger that defined their offseason. "We have to keep the hunger we had all offseason," he said, per Pro Football Talk.

He also landed on the injury report with a knee designation ahead of the Dolphins game — a predictable circuit-breaker for any Mahomes news cycle — but there was no indication it would limit him in Week 3.

Douglas Goes Down at the Wrong Moment

On the other sideline, fellow Red Raider Caleb Douglas won't get the chance to face his college program's most famous alumnus this week. The Miami Dolphins ruled the rookie wide receiver out for the Week 3 matchup after he suffered an ankle injury during Miami's blowout loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 2 — a game in which Douglas caught just 2 passes for 19 yards before exiting.

Head coach Jeff Hafley confirmed the news Wednesday, per Heavy Sports. Douglas had been carving out a role in Miami's young offense and his absence opens the door for others to step into a larger share of targets against a Chiefs defense Mahomes knows better than anyone.

The timing stings for Douglas, who now misses what would have been a nationally televised opportunity against the team his former Red Raiders teammate is quarterbacking.

Around the Rest of the Red Raider Alumni

Elsewhere in the league, David Bailey posted a sack for the 0-2 Jets in their 17-20 loss to Green Bay — a small bright spot in an otherwise grim Week 2 in New York. Punter Austin McNamara was also active for the Jets.

On the 49ers' side, defensive end Romello Height recorded a tackle in San Francisco's 35-13 dismantling of the Dolphins — though per the New York Times, Height showed improvement in Week 2 despite needing surgery on a broken hand, complicating his near-term availability.

Broderick Washington Jr. was active for the Ravens in their 17-24 loss to the Saints, while Dolphins linebacker Jacob Rodriguez and linebacker Jordyn Brooks were both on the field in Miami's lopsided defeat to San Francisco.

The Chiefs-Dolphins game Sunday shapes up as the week's marquee Red Raiders moment — Mahomes looking to go 3-0, Douglas watching from the sideline in a walking boot.

Texas Tech sent more than 40 alumni into NFL Week 1 — and three of them made sure Lubbock was watching closely.

Mahomes Is Back, and the AFC Knows It

The story of the week was never really in doubt. Patrick Mahomes returned from a torn ACL and LCL to lead Kansas City past Denver 31–10 on Monday Night Football, throwing for 184 yards and two touchdowns, adding a rushing score, and finishing with just one interception. He didn't need to be spectacular — the Chiefs ran the ball behind free-agent acquisition Kenneth Walker III — but he was sharp, composed, and, most importantly, healthy. Before the game, Mahomes had offered a surprisingly calm take on his recovery, telling reporters he always knew he'd be back in time for the opener. The rest of the AFC, particularly Josh Allen and the Bills, reportedly took notice.

Douglas Shines Bright in Miami's Dark Opener

The Dolphins lost 27–13 in Las Vegas, but Caleb Douglas gave the fanbase something to feel good about. The rookie wide receiver out of Texas Tech caught 5 passes for 94 yards in his NFL debut — a performance that drew immediate comparisons to Puka Nacua's breakout first game. Douglas reportedly set a Dolphins franchise record for receiving yards by a rookie in a debut, a remarkable achievement in an otherwise bleak afternoon for Miami's offense. With a rebuilding regime in place under new head coach Jeff Hafley, Douglas looks like one of the few early wins for the new front office.

Teammate Jacob Rodriguez, a rookie linebacker also from Texas Tech, also drew positive reviews in his NFL debut in the same game. A 49ers coach had publicly praised him leading into the season, and he delivered enough to turn heads despite the loss.

Owens Goes Viral in Washington

Tyler Owens didn't show up in the box score the way a quarterback or receiver might — but 18 million views don't lie. The Commanders safety's special teams highlight from Washington's Week 1 game against Philadelphia (a 22–24 loss) tore through social media, with JJ Watt among those publicly raving about the play. Bleacher Report described the reaction as a "sheer ass whupping," quoting observers around the league. Owens is carving out a reputation as a special teams weapon in Washington, and Week 1 just put the rest of the NFL on notice.

The Rest of the Red Raider Roll Call

Several other Tech alumni saw action in Week 1. David Bailey recorded a sack in the Jets' 23–10 win over the Titans in his NFL debut, an auspicious start for the rookie linebacker. Tahj Brooks suited up for Cincinnati in a 33–27 win over Tampa Bay. Tyree Wilson played for New Orleans in a close 30–31 loss to Detroit. Skyler Gill-Howard was active for Detroit in that same game. Austin McNamara handled punting duties for the Jets alongside Bailey. And Broderick Washington Jr. was part of a Ravens defense that throttled Indianapolis 41–23.

It was a Week 1 that served as a full-scale Red Raider reunion — with Mahomes headlining, Douglas emerging, and Owens breaking the internet.