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A college footballer had more than one surprise in store after a trick play touchdown prompted the reveal of a hidden MAGA message.

Saturday in Fort Worth, the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University were visited by Texas Tech’s Red Raiders. It was there that an attempt to narrow a 14-3 deficit after the first quarter had kicker Reese Burkhardt earning praise from beyond the Lone Star State as his fake field goal celebration included an endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

Viral video of the early second quarter play that went on to be shared by the president’s campaign showed as, instead of a field goal at 4th & Goal, Burkhardt was lobbed the football as he charged toward the end zone.

It was there that the senior from Andalusia, Alabama pulled up his jersey to reveal the message scrawled on the white t-shirt beneath which read “Trump 24” and “MAGA.”

Former NFL wide receiver Antonio Brown, who, along with former running back Le’Veon Bell, had caused his own stir while rallying with Trump in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, had taken notice of the enthusiasm shared after the play and appeared poised with a business proposal.

Honoring Burkhardt as the “Cracker of the Day #CTESPN,” Brown suggested the kicker send him a direct message “for an NIL deal champ,” referring to name, image, and likeness.

The Super Bowl champion had spoken to the pushback that comes from endorsing Trump when he’d said on stage to rally-goers in Pennsylvania, “I know the media is going to call me crazy, me and Trump crazy, for having me speaking here, but I want to make this clear, we are not. They are.”

“You know [Vice President] Kamala Harris and [Minnesota Gov.] Tim Walz, do you really know they want to put tampons in the boy’s bathroom? Is that crazy? That’s really insane, right?”

While the Red Raiders rode the momentum to finish the second and third quarters on top of the Horned Frogs, TCU ultimately came from behind for a 35-34 victory.

Some fans were none too pleased with the display with messages like, “Hate posting anything negative about Tech football but this was disgraceful while representing the university. Our games are supposed to offer a rare reprieve from politics. And maybe if he was focused on the game he wouldn’t have missed his next kick by a mile. Embarrassing.”

However, despite some negative reactions, expected with anything related to the GOP leader, Burkhardt had won admiration from more than just Brown.

Fans of teams across college football called out their support for showing public favor to Trump with less than two weeks remaining before Election Day with messages like, “I’m an LSU fan but Texas Tech is not high on my list…MAGA!” and “I am now a fan of Texas Tech! Awesome!”

Kevin Haggerty
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