The Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Kansas City Chiefs don’t exactly have a long history of shared connections. But that narrative seems to be changing fast. This weekend, while the Chiefs were celebrating another Super Bowl trip, a familiar college QB was right there in the mix. Dylan Raiola, the Cornhuskers’ QB and Patrick Mahomes’ spitting image, was decked out in Chiefs gear from head to toe, looking like ‘Baby Mahomes’ himself. And now it gets even better. Matt Rhule and Dylan are going to get another Chiefs connection—this time officially.

Dylan Raiola and his head coach, Matt Rhule, have taken that Chiefs connection one step further. Nebraska made a big-time addition on Dec. 10 to its staff, dipping into Kansas City’s coaching pool to replace Terrance Knighton with none other than Terry Bradden, the former Chiefs assistant defensive line coach. Bradden saw their 3-peat Super Bowl dream shattered horribly to the Eagles 40-22. Now, is making the jump from coaching Patrick Mahomes’ defense to molding the next era of Blackshirts in Lincoln. With the season over, Bradden bid his final adieu to Kansas on Instagram. “Thank you for the memories, the victories, and the family we’ve built. Looking forward to the next chapter in Lincoln,” he said.

As the post was uploaded, Dylan Raiola wasted no time making Bradden feel at home. In a message filled with enthusiasm, he welcomed the new coach with a simple but powerful statement: “Let’s do it coach. Welcome to the fam!” Matt Rhule followed that up with his own stamp of approval, posting, “Welcome Home #GBR.” The excitement surrounding the hire is palpable, and rightfully so. Nebraska has long been searching for a spark to reignite its defensive identity, and Bradden’s credentials speak for themselves. He’s been a Chiefs mainstay for 8 years, coaching in the trenches and racking up 3 Super Bowl wins (including back-to-back).

Bradden’s résumé is no joke. In 2023, he helped oversee a Chiefs defensive front that racked up 57 sacks, the second-most in franchise history, and finished the season as one of the most feared units in the league. His fingerprints were all over the success of players like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis, who each tallied double-digit sack numbers. Under his guidance, the Chiefs’ defense allowed just 17.3 points per game, ranking second in the NFL in scoring defense. That type of defensive discipline and dominance is exactly what Nebraska has been missing.

This hire also continues an intriguing subplot between Nebraska and the Chiefs. Raiola’s growing profile and his clear admiration for the reigning MVP—it’s hard not to see the parallels. For now, Raiola is just being compared to Pat’s mannerisms and even playing style at times. But give it time—his ability to extend plays could soon have him mentioned in the same breath.

While he won’t be playing under Bradden, the connection only adds more diesel to the “that ain’t Pat” saga. As Nebraska continues its rebuild, this move signals a commitment to bringing in proven winners.

Did Chiefs players confuse Dylan Raiola for Patrick Mahomes?

Dylan Raiola had a viral moment over the weekend. Nebraska QB1 found himself in a funny mix-up when he hopped into an Instagram Live session with Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco. ESPN SportsCenter’s X account quickly picked up on the moment after their AFC Championship win, making it an instant hit.

As Raiola appeared on screen, Pacheco playfully set the record straight, telling viewers, “That ain’t Pat,” shutting down any Mahomes comparisons before they got out of hand. The Mahomes jokes are inevitable.

Meanwhile, as of now, Raiola’s Nebraska ties to Kansas just got a little stronger. With defensive line coach Terry Bradden joining the Cornhuskers’ staff from Kansas, there’s now another Pat connection in Lincoln. Bradden, who will be earning $400,000—the same as his predecessor, Terrance Knighton—brings another layer of familiarity to the program.