A claim about Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his recruitment sparked controversy ahead of Super Bowl 2025, leading some to question its accuracy.
During the Feb. 3 episode of her self-titled podcast, former Fox News host Megyn Kelly asked Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., if he would be supporting the Kansas City Chiefs in their upcoming Feb. 9 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
“So, does this mean, since you used to coach Patrick Mahomes, that you’re rooting for the Chiefs at the big game this Sunday?” Kelly inquired.
Tuberville, who transitioned from a 40-year career as a college football coach—including a tenure at Mahomes’ alma mater, Texas Tech University—to serving in the U.S. Senate, responded with a correction. Flashing a smile, Tuberville addressed Kelly’s assumption.
“Well, I never even coached him,” he clarified. “What happened is — I recruited him. And then I left and went to another school. But I’ve got to be very good friends with him. He’s a good — not just a good athlete. He’s a very good example for a lot of our young youth across this country.”
Mahomes Responds to Tuberville’s Statement
Tuberville’s explanation, however, was quickly challenged.
“He did not recruit me at the time,” Mahomes stated during a Feb. 6 press conference when asked about any connection to Tuberville. “I don’t — I don’t remember if I ever got to meet him or not.”
Attempts to reach Tuberville’s office for clarification went unanswered. From 2010 to 2012, Tuberville served as Texas Tech’s head football coach, leading the team for three full seasons before stepping down on Dec. 8, 2012.
Mahomes later joined Texas Tech, playing for the team from 2014 to 2016 before being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2017. Reports from various outlets have attributed Mahomes’ recruitment to Kliff Kingsbury, who succeeded Tuberville as Texas Tech’s head coach.
ESPN reported in 2022 that Kingsbury first became aware of Mahomes in 2012 while working as Texas A&M University’s offensive coordinator.
At that time, Mahomes was a standout student-athlete at Whitehouse High School in East Texas. Once Kingsbury assumed the head coaching role at Texas Tech, securing Mahomes became a priority, according to ESPN.
Kingsbury’s Role in Mahomes’ Recruitment
“We went after him hard and knew that we needed to get him,” Kingsbury stated in an interview with ESPN in 2022. Mahomes later credited Kingsbury for his development and for playing a key role in his football career, as noted by Arrowhead Pride, a publication dedicated to covering the Chiefs.
“(Texas Tech was) really the first and only,” Mahomes explained, as reported by Arrowhead Pride. “I didn’t get recruited by (many schools); I got a couple other offers from smaller schools in the Texas area …
I credit Kingsbury, because he was the one who came down and saw me, talked to me, talked to my family and believed in me. That’s the reason I’m in this position — because he gave me a chance.” Former President Donald Trump has also incorrectly stated that Tuberville coached Mahomes.
Our Ruling
Tuberville claimed that he “recruited” Mahomes during his tenure as Texas Tech’s head coach and that the two developed a friendship. Mahomes refuted that assertion, stating that Tuberville “did not recruit me” and adding that he wasn’t sure if they had ever met.
Since Tuberville departed Texas Tech before Mahomes joined the team, their timelines never overlapped. Reports consistently point to Kingsbury, Tuberville’s successor, as the coach responsible for recruiting Mahomes.
This claim is rated False.
