KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Rachaad White finally got a chance to step inside Arrowhead Stadium, about 10 minutes away from where he grew up.
He got to step into the end zone, too.
White turned one of his three carries for 19 yards into a touchdown on Monday night, when he returned to Kansas City with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to face his hometown Chiefs. The Bucs ultimately lost 30-24 in overtime, after Baker Mayfield had rallied them for a tying touchdown with 27 seconds left, but that didn't entirely spoil White's night.
“Obviously it was my first ever game here,” he said. “I liked it, the electricity that was going on with the fans. It was fun.”
The 25-year-old running back's journey to this point was long, winding and difficult.
White grew up in a tough part of town as one of four boys raised by a single mother. His family never had the money to buy him a ticket to a Chiefs game, so he instead dreamed of playing for them while running around the yard, imagining that he was juking and cutting against an NFL defense just like his boyhood hero, Jamaal Charles.
White played basketball and football at Center High School and was undoubtedly the team's most talented player. But not a single Division I scholarship offer came his way, and he landed at Division II Nebraska-Kearney. Even then, White had to redshirt when it became clear he wouldn't see the field, and ultimately he headed for a California junior college.
White finally blossomed at Mt. San Jacinto College, earning an offer from Arizona State, and his breakthrough continued with the Sun Devils. By the time the 2022 draft rolled around, Tampa Bay was ready to use a third-round pick on him.
White returned to Kansas City over the summer to host a camp for elementary and middle school kids at Center. But he still had not set foot inside Arrowhead Stadium until Monday night, when the Buccaneers rolled into town.
“A good amount. I can’t even count right now,” he said, when asked how many friends and family were in the stands.
His touchdown run in the second quarter gave them a 7-3 lead, and White punctuated it by throwing the ball into the crowd.
The teams traded the lead a couple of times — Tampa Bay pulled ahead 17-10 in the second half, and Kansas City rallied with two fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead 24-17, before Mayfield's touchdown throw to Ryan Miller sent the game to overtime.
White and his teammates never got an opportunity on offense to give him the storybook ending.
The Chiefs won the coin toss and took the ball, and Patrick Mahomes was 5 for 5 on the decisive drive. Kareem Hunt finished off his 106-yard rushing night by pounding through the rain and into the end zone from 2 yards out for the decisive score.
“Just little mistakes and they made more plays than us,” White said.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) celebrates his touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) celebrates with teammates his touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White (1) celebrates his touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs during the first half of an NFL football game, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
DENVER (AP) — Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and played smothering defense on the final play of the game, and the Denver Nuggets beat the Toronto Raptors 121-119 on Monday night.
Nikola Jokic had 28 points, 14 rebounds and 14 assists for his third triple-double in four games for Denver, which played without Jamal Murray (concussion protocol) and lost Aaron Gordon to a right calf strain in the first quarter.
The Nuggets trailed 109-98 with 5:45 left but rallied to take a 118-117 lead on Peyton Watson’s 3-pointer. The teams traded baskets and Julian Strawther split a pair of free throws with 12 seconds left.
That gave Toronto a chance but on the final play Westbrook blanketed RJ Barrett, whose 26-footer to win it at the horn was short.
Barrett finished with 18 points while Grady Dick had 26 and Jakob Poeltl scored 24.
Raptors: Help might be on the way sooner than expected. Forward Scottie Barnes (orbital fracture) won’t need surgery at this point, according to coach Darko Rajakovic. Barnes has not played since the home loss to Denver on Oct. 28
Nuggets: The injuries have put more pressure on the bench to come through. Swather has played well the last few games and Hunter Tyson is making the most of his opportunity.
Toronto led by six before Poeltl picked up his fifth and sixth fouls in a span of 23 seconds. The Nuggets outscored the Raptors 14-8 after Poeltl fouled out.
Jokic has three triple-doubles in the last four games and missed a fourth by one rebound against Minnesota on Friday night. He also had seven turnovers against Toronto.
The Raptors travel to Sacramento on Wednesday night while the Nuggets host Oklahoma City for the second time in two weeks.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, left, dunks as Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick (1) defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Toronto Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic looks on in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. collects the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Toronto Raptors, Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl, back right, pulls in a rebound as Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson, left, and guard Julian Strawther defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Toronto Raptors guard Ja'Kobe Walter, left, reacts after hitting a 3-point basket over Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick gestures after hitting a 3-point basket against the Denver Nuggets in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Julian Strawther, center, goes up to shoot as Toronto Raptors guards Gradey Dick, left, and Ja'Kobe Walter, right, defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, left, collects the ball as Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji, right, and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, center, pursue in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun, center, drives to the basket as Toronto Raptors guard RJ Barrett, left, and center Jakob Poeltl (19) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Toronto Raptors guard Gradey Dick, front, fields a pass as Denver Nuggets guard Christian Braun defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
