Nobody loves to trash talk the University of Texas more than former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield. The former Heisman Trophy winner went 2-1 in the Red River Shootout and took the game personally.
On Thursday evening, the heated rivalry was put to the side. Mayfield played high school football in the Austin area before playing in Norman.
Brian Davis of the Austin American Stateman was the first to report on the tragic death of Texas linebacker Jake Ehlinger. Jake was the younger brother of former Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger. Both were a part of the program over the past two years.
Mayfield reached out to Sam via Twitter, saying “prayers up for you and your family man, @sehlinger3. Extremely sorry for your loss. City of Austin is here for y’all.”
Prayers up for you and your family man, @sehlinger3. Extremely sorry for your loss. City of Austin is here for y’all.
— Baker Mayfield (@bakermayfield) May 6, 2021
Mayfield and Sam Ehlinger’s on-the-field rivalry goes past Texas-Oklahoma. The two went to rival high schools within the city of Austin. Mayfield went to Lake Travis while the Ehlinger brothers went to Westlake.
At the end of the day, football rivalries mean little to none compared to off-the-field events. Seeing such a prominent figure from Oklahoma like Mayfield speaks to how everyone respects each other.
Longhorns Wire will remain on top of the story and provide updates as they are made available. Our heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Ehlinger family during this horrific time.