Denny Medley-America Today Sports
Texas Tech will have Patrick Mahomes, sophomore, Zach McPherson and Kerry Hyder, Jr. at Sunday’s championship.
LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech will have at least one Red Raider play in Super Bowl LVI as quarterback Patrick Mahomes II, defensive back Zach McPherson and defensive lineman Kerry Hyder Jr. advance out of the divisional round this weekend.
The NFC Championship begins next Sunday’s doubleheader with McPhearson and the Philadelphia Eagles hosting Hyder and the San Francisco 49ers. Mahomes will immediately follow the Kansas City Chiefs as they look to avenge last year’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals from Arrowhead Stadium in the AFC Championship.
This marks the 13th time in 14-years and the 18th time in the Big 12 era that a Red Raider has appeared on a Super Bowl roster. For Mahomes, who is looking for his third Super Bowl appearance as a starting quarterback in just his fourth NFL season, both McPhearson and Hyder are looking for their first trip to the biggest game in football.
McPhearson and Hyder both scored in their respective divisional sweeps as the New York Giants beat the New York Giants 38-7 while the 49ers beat the Dallas Cowboys 19-12. After completing 22-30 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, Mahomes sat out the first half with an ankle injury to push the Chiefs past the Jacksonville Jaguars 27-20.
In addition to Hyder, the 49ers boast two fellow Red Raider letterwinners on their coaching staff in defensive line coach Chris Kocurek and head coach and running backs coach Anthony Lynn. Kocurek, a three-time All-Big 12 selection for the Red Raiders from 1998-00, is looking to return to his second Super Bowl with the 49ers as San Francisco previously fell to Mahomes and the Chiefs, 31-20, in 2020.
Lynn, meanwhile, is in his first season with the 49ers, looking to reach his first Super Bowl as a coach after winning a pair of titles with the Denver Broncos (Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII). One of the top rushers in program history, Lynn rushed for 1,972 yards and 20 touchdowns from 1988-91 under legendary head coach Spike Dykes.
The 49ers begin Sunday’s doubleheader on FOX with Philadelphia at 2 p.m. The Chiefs and Bengals follow at 5:30 pm on CBS.
.@ZMcphearson Making games??
?? #NYGvsPHI on FOX pic.twitter.com/Kri5MhLFt7
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) January 22, 2023
It’s a year-round thing. @PatrickMahomes.#Nobles #NFL games pic.twitter.com/6AJpKFcYnm
— NFL (@NFL) January 22, 2023
Does he only need one leg?? @PatrickMahomes | #RaidTheLeague
?? #JAXvsKC On NBC pic.twitter.com/wtDzqLZpu6
— Texas Tech Football (@TexasTechFB) January 22, 2023
