Patrick Mahomes Says Alabama Senator 'Did Not Recruit' Him in College

Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville’s claims that he recruited Patrick Mahomes appear to be untrue.

Mahomes told The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gabriela Carroll, “He did not recruit me at the time. I don't remember if I ever got to meet him or not.”

On Wednesday, Donald Trump commended Tuberville for coaching Mahomes in a viral clip captured as the president signed an executive order banning trans girls from participating in women’s sports. According to AL.com, Tuberville reintroduced the bill into the Senate.

Trump called Tuberville a “great coach.” The 70-year-old previously served as head coach at Auburn and Texas Tech, among other schools before being elected to the Senate in 2020.

“You know, his quarterback was named Mahomes. [Tuberville] was a great college coach. And I said, ‘How good was he?’ He said, ‘You don’t wanna know how good. He made me into a great coach.’ He’s a pretty good quarterback, right? Yeah, he was very good. And he’s a good guy, too.”

Mahomes' response came after Tuberville shared a clip of him on The Megyn Kelly Show, where he was asked if he’d be cheering for the Kansas City Chiefs since he coached Mahomes.

“I never even coached him,” Tuberville told Kelly. “What happened is I recruited him and then I left and went to another school. But I got to be very good friends with him. He’s not just a good athlete—he’s a very good example for a lot of our youth across this country.”

Mahomes was recruited by Texas Tech and played there, but not until a month after Tuberville left the head coaching position in late 2012. Tuberville never recruited, coached, or even knows Mahomes, per AL. com.