John Mateer has brought high expectations back to the Oklahoma football program not seen in years. After four games, the Sooners are off to a 4-0 start (1-0 SEC) with two ranked wins already under their belt. The problem now is that Mateer is sidelined with an injury.
Mateer suffered a broken bone in his throwing hand during Oklahoma’s 24-17 win over Auburn on September 20. He underwent surgery days later, with a recovery timetable of “about a month,” according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
That timeline means Mateer could miss what might be his only chance to play in the Red River Rivalry against Texas on October 11. Still, a recent post on the Texas A&M message board TexAgs sparked a viral rumor that Mateer plans to be back in time.
According to the post, a tortilla presser at a Chipotle Mateer visited asked how his hand was doing. The poster claimed Mateer told the employee he is “100% going to play versus Texas.”
Check out the post below:
Picture Surfaces of John Mateer at Chipotle With Employee
It’s hardly the most reliable source, but the rumor gained traction heading into Oklahoma’s first game without Mateer against Kent State. Adding fuel to the fire, a photo surfaced showing Mateer with a Chipotle employee — supposedly the same tortilla presser referenced in the message board post.
“Is that picture the same tortilla presser being referred to in the TexAgs message board post? I don’t know,” On3’s J.D. PicKell said. “Just putting the evidence together here, putting two and two together — it feels like as close to a smoking gun when it comes to that message board as we can possibly have right now.
“It feels like this is too weird and too wild to not be based in some factual happening here.”
PicKell added that because the rumor originated on a Texas A&M message board rather than a Texas or Oklahoma forum, it could carry more credibility. As he noted, while the Aggies may be bitter rivals with Texas, they wouldn’t necessarily care enough to make up a story about the Red River Rivalry.
Brent Venables Doesn’t Want John Mateer to Rush Back
Mateer underwent a successful surgery to his hand on September 25. But it seems like he’s going to do everything possible to speed up his comeback. On September 29, Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables was candid when discussing Mateer’s recovery.
“He’s going to push the limits on everything when it comes to his rehab and getting back,” Venables said. “At the same time, I told him, you’re not going to defy the odds… You need to let those things heal.
“He’ll be good. He’ll be one of those guys who broke the record (for fastest return), if you will.”
It’s clear Mateer is going to great lengths to be back in time for the game against Texas. Beyond the rivalry, the game could have massive ramifications on the SEC Championship race — and possibly the College Football Playoff.
With Mateer on the field, Oklahoma is instantly a playoff contender. Without him, the Sooners turn to sophomore Michael Hawkins Jr. The question is: for how long?
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