On Texas Tech Pro Day in Lubbock this week, Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes came with some special news. On March 27, he helped Kim Ng, commissioner of the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, to surprise NiJaree Canady with an announcement.

“Hi everyone,” said Patrick Mahomes via The AUSL Official on Instagram. “It’s my pleasure to announce the very first AUSL Golden Ticket of the 2026 draft class to our very own Texas Tech Red Raider, NiJaree Canady. Congratulations.”

A Golden Ticket essentially secures a player’s spot in the AUSL Draft, almost guaranteeing their selection. The complete draft order is set to be unveiled during the AUSL College Draft Show on May 4 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

“It hit me really fast,” Canady said after receiving the big news. “I had no idea. No one told me. No hints of this happening. I wasn’t even sure we were going to play today, just because of the weather. Then just to see all teammates celebrate on the field, it meant a lot.”

Canady has over 1,000+ career strikeouts and led with 34 wins. It earned her First-Team All-American, the Honda Sports Award, and the NFCA National Pitcher of the Year award for the second year in a row. She holds the largest $1.1 million NIL deal in softball history.

Canady spent her freshman and sophomore years at Stanford. She came to Texas Tech in July 2025, and in her first year, she helped the program win its first Big 12 regular-season and Big 12 Tournament championships ever. She led the nation with a 0.97 ERA and ranked second with 317 strikeouts.

While NiJaree Canady got her surprise, Mahomes also had one for the Chiefs Nation.

After months, Patrick Mahomes is back on turf

Patrick Mahomes’ recovery has been the hot topic in Kansas City. But after 26th March, things are looking a bit different. On Thursday, Mahomes visited his old turf in Lubbock while visiting the Texas Tech Red Raiders’ Pro Day. He did not just attend it; he was seen snapping the football, something that the fans had been missing for some time now.

“Former #TexasTech and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is back in Lubbock at the program’s Pro Day,” reporter Keith Inglis posted on X.

The two-time NFL MVP played for the Texas Tech Red Raiders from 2014 to 2016. During those three seasons, he established himself as one of the best players in the team’s history. His legacy as a Red Raider includes finishing third with 11,252 passing yards, 93 touchdown passes, 1,349 attempts, and 857 completions.

With 22 rushing touchdowns, he found himself second among Red Raiders quarterbacks. Thanks to those rushing touchdowns, he recorded 115 touchdowns in total, earning the second rank in total touchdowns by a quarterback. Besides that, he also ranked third in total offense yards (12,097) and career attempts (1,657).

The three-time Super Bowl winner was also spotted talking with the players and members of the coaching staff. During the 2025 NFL Draft, 14 players were drafted from Texas Tech, which was a program record. This year, over 75 league personnel visited the Pro Day, which included people from all 32 NFL franchises. The Dallas Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer was among them.

Despite so many people attending the Pro Day, the Chiefs Nation was fully focused on Mahomes throwing the football. The star QB is still recovering from his ACL injury.

However, he is expected to be back before Week 1 of the 2026 season. With Travis Kelce returning for his 14th season and head coach Andy Reid adding Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III to the roster, the expectations are high. Last season, the Chiefs not only missed the playoffs but also finished with a 6-11 record. With such impact players on the roster, it needs to be seen if they can rebuild after last season’s heartbreak.