Dylan Raiola’s Mahomes Obsession Takes a Dark Turn—Has the Joke Gone Too Far?
Dylan Raiola has never been shy about his admiration for Patrick Mahomes. From rocking the same signature Mohawk to donning the No. 15 jersey, Nebraska’s young quarterback has drawn more than a few comparisons to the Kansas City Chiefs superstar. Some have seen it as harmless admiration. Others? Well, they think it’s starting to get a little… strange.
Lately, the Mahomes-Raiola comparison has taken a bizarre turn, with the internet taking shots at the 19-year-old for his apparent obsession. And when Mahomes recently switched up his look, the joke machine kicked into overdrive, pushing the narrative that Raiola was bound to follow suit.
The Haircut That Sent the Internet Into a Frenzy
It all started on February 19 when ML Football dropped a bombshell on X (formerly Twitter):
“Patrick Mahomes has cut off his mohawk after losing the Super Bowl last week.”
Cue the internet meltdown. Mahomes, sporting a fresh, short-trimmed look, had debuted his new style at his grandfather’s funeral, looking sharp and decidedly different from his usual shaggy appearance. Some speculated the change was a reaction to his Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Others pointed to a moment from the Quarterback docuseries on Netflix, where Mahomes had already hinted at wanting to ditch the mohawk.
“This is my last hair with the hair… I can’t have two kids and a Mohawk,” Mahomes had joked to his trainer, Bobby Stroupe. When Stroupe asked why not, the 3x Super Bowl MVP gave a classic dad response: “Cause I gotta be a dad at some point. Imagine being 40 years old with this haircut. I mean, come on.”
So, Mahomes had been planning the chop for a while. But where does Raiola come into this? Well, the internet was quick to take a friendly jab at the Nebraska QB, with ML Football posting a follow-up tweet:
“BREAKING: DYLAN RAIOLA HAS CUT HIS HAIR SO HE CAN STILL LOOK LIKE PATRICK MAHOMES. “
Funny? Maybe. A little excessive? Definitely.
🚨BREAKING: DYLAN RAIOLA HAS CUT HIS HAIR SO HE CAN STILL LOOK LIKE PATRICK MAHOMES.
👀👀👀 https://t.co/sy8L4IUT19 pic.twitter.com/j7dOahI8HC
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) February 18, 2025
When Admiration Turns to Criticism
While some fans laughed it off as a lighthearted joke, others weren’t so kind. The internet, always eager to pile on, turned the harmless post into an all-out roast session.
“Gotta give credit where credit is due—that joke was actually solid,” one person posted.
But then came the harsher takes.
“This is a joke, but I wouldn’t put it past this creep,” another wrote.
Ouch. And it didn’t stop there.
Back in January, Chiefs running back Isaiah Pacheco had already joked about Raiola’s resemblance to Mahomes, pointing at him and exclaiming, “That ain’t Pat!” The joke was funny then, but now, with the latest wave of criticism, the tone has shifted.
One fan bluntly put it: “This is not getting weird… IT’S BEEN WEIRD.”
Has it, though? Raiola is far from the first young athlete to idolize an NFL great. Sure, he’s mimicked Mahomes’ appearance and tried to replicate his playing style, but let’s be real—there are worse role models out there. The real problem? The internet isn’t letting him live it down.
Another critic took it further: “Dude needs to find himself.”
That’s a brutal take for a 19-year-old still finding his footing in college football. Let’s not forget—there are fans out there who take their admiration for celebrities to far more extreme levels. Some people change their entire wardrobe, their walk, their talk, and even go under the knife to resemble their idols. Raiola’s biggest “crime”? A haircut and a jersey number.
Why the Hate for Dylan Raiola?
Is Raiola’s resemblance to Mahomes really the issue here, or is it the fact that he’s an up-and-coming quarterback under the bright lights? The scrutiny comes with the territory, but the level of criticism he’s receiving seems excessive.
One user bluntly asked: “At what point do we call this creepy officially? Cuz I always thought this kid is a little strange.”
Really? Haven’t we all idolized someone in our teenage years? Haven’t we all tried to copy our heroes in some way? The only difference is Raiola happens to be playing on a national stage, where every little thing he does is magnified tenfold.
At the end of the day, whether Raiola cuts his hair or keeps it, whether he continues to draw Mahomes comparisons or carves out his own legacy, it’s his journey to take. One thing’s for sure—he shouldn’t have to deal with this level of unnecessary backlash for simply admiring a generational talent.
So, to the internet critics, maybe it’s time to relax. Let the kid live.
