Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs needed Nick Allegretti, and Allegretti answered the call. 

Allegretti started the Super Bowl at left tackle for the Chiefs after the team’s starter at that spot on the offensive line, All-Pro Joe Thuney, tore his pectoral muscle in the Chiefs’ divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills. But then Allegretti himself got hurt, tearing the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his left elbow during the second quarter of Sunday’s game, per a report from NFL Media.

It’s the injury most commonly associated with MLB pitchers and that the famed Tommy John surgery was invented to treat. Allegretti kept playing after suffering the tear, however, and ended up playing all 79 offensive snaps the Chiefs took as they beat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in overtime.

That earned him a shout-out from Mahomes after the report of Allegretti’s injury surfaced, with the star Chiefs quarterback and now three-time Super Bowl MVP praising the backup offensive lineman and confirming the injury report.

It’s unclear whether Allegretti will be ready for the start of next season, but the prognosis is likely good. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy, who the Chiefs just beat in the Super Bowl, suffered the same injury in the NFC Championship Game in January 2023 and returned by Week 1 of the season, going on to become an NFL MVP finalist this past season. 

Plus, unlike Purdy, all Allegretti has to do is block for the greatest NFL quarterback of his generation.

Allegretti got some further shout-outs from fellow Chiefs offensive lineman Creed Humphrey and Donovan Smith, as well as FOX sports betting analyst Geoff Schwartz, a former Chiefs offensive lineman himself.

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