Justyn Ross’ first big UFL moment got a reaction from someone who knows his journey better than most. Patrick Mahomes responded with three flex emojis after Ross caught the game-winning touchdown for the Birmingham Stallions in their season opener. For Ross, it was the kind of moment he had been trying to get back to.
Patrick Mahomes Reacts to Justyn Ross’ Game-Winning UFL Touchdown
Ross helped lift the Stallions to a 15-13 win over the Louisville Kings by catching a 14-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter with just under two minutes remaining.
The score capped a 13-play, 66-yard drive that burned nearly seven minutes off the clock and gave Birmingham a 1-0 start to the season. Ross finished with two catches for 30 yards, but the game-winning touchdown was the play that mattered most.
After the Stallions posted the touchdown on Instagram, Mahomes dropped three flex emojis in the comments, a small but notable reaction from his former teammate in Kansas City.
Ross’ path to this point has not been straightforward. He signed with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2022 after once being viewed as a much higher-end prospect at Clemson. A foot injury wiped out his rookie season, and his time in Kansas City never fully stabilized after that.
Ross later spent time on the Commissioner’s Exempt List during the 2023 season and was eventually waived by the Chiefs in 2024 before briefly sticking on the practice squad and signing a reserve/future deal. He was waived again in July 2025 before landing with the Stallions in January 2026.
In 12 career NFL games with Kansas City, Ross caught 6 passes for 53 yards. The touchdown came in a spring league opener, but for a player still trying to reestablish himself, it was the type of moment that gets noticed.
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Mahomes’ reaction also came during an important stretch in his own offseason.
The Chiefs quarterback is working his way back from the torn ACL and LCL he suffered in December, though recent reporting from Adam Schefter said he remains on track to be ready for Week 1 of the 2026 season. Mahomes finished 2025 with a 77.2 grade in PFSN NFL QB Impact metrics before the injury cut his season short.
Kansas City has approached the situation with caution, adding Justin Fields this offseason as insurance while Mahomes progresses through rehab. The expectation remains that he will be back, but the team has built in flexibility in case he is not.
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Ross was never a major part of Kansas City’s offense, but he was part of Mahomes’ world during a stretch when the Chiefs were still searching for depth and upside at wide receiver.
Ross already has two Super Bowl rings from his time with the Chiefs, but his individual career has yet to take off the way many once expected. That is why a game-winning touchdown, even in a different league, could create some buzz and momentum for a young playmaker still trying to break through.
Mahomes’ reaction was small, but it fit the moment. For Ross, it was a reminder that his career is still going and that people around the league are still paying attention.
