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Dylan Raiola's offseason was supposed to be about football. The five-star Nebraska quarterback and son of Husker legend Dominic Raiola has been the face of hope for a program desperate to return to relevance. But instead of focusing on workouts and playbooks, he's been dragged into a completely different conversation-one that involves a middle schooler, a viral photo, and a whole lot of angry Nebraska fans.
It all started with a picture. Baby Gronk-aka Madden San Miguel-has built an online empire as a youth football prodigy, thanks in large part to his dad's relentless marketing. He's taken photos with everyone from NFL stars to college athletes, positioning himself as "the future of football." When a photo of him alongside Raiola hit social media, it was probably meant to be just another flex. Instead, it turned into a PR nightmare.
Nebraska fans are not having it
Husker Nation did not react well. Comments flooded in immediately, with fans practically begging for the image to be taken down. Some were blunt: "Plz delete." Others were more aggressive: "Get away from my QB right now." And then there were the ones who captured the growing frustration over the Baby Gronk brand itself: "How is this kid famous? He's so annoying."
The problem isn't just the photo. It's what Baby Gronk represents-hype over substance. Nebraska fans see Raiola as their franchise guy, someone who can restore their program to its former glory. But a viral stunt like this, in their eyes, cheapens that mission.
Even Gronk wants no part of this
The Baby Gronk phenomenon has always been divisive, but it's not just Nebraska fans rolling their eyes. Even Rob Gronkowski-the actual Gronk-has distanced himself from the kid's brand. In 2023, he told Bussin' With The Boys that Baby Gronk's dad had already messaged him "500 times" and warned others not to get involved. If an NFL legend won't touch it, why should Nebraska's most important player?
Raiola Stays Silent, but the Message Is Clear
Raiola hasn't commented on the situation, and Nebraska's coaching staff hasn't addressed it either. But the message from fans is pretty obvious: they don't want their quarterback wrapped up in social media antics. Nebraska football is in rebuild mode, and distractions like this don't help.
Will the photo actually get deleted? Maybe, maybe not. But Nebraska fans have made it clear-they'd rather see Raiola in a highlight reel than a viral post.