Texas Tech football alumnus Patrick Mahomes returns to Lubbock
The three-time Super Bowl champion and quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs donates $5 million to Texas Tech football projects and names Mahomes’ NIL team of Tech athletes
Just by his existence and success with the Kansas City Chiefs, Patrick Mahomes has done more than enough to put Texas Tech sports on a whole new map. Each of his three Super Bowls has brought the Red Raiders more free advertising than the university itself could buy.
But that doesn’t mean Mahomes feels he’s done enough to help the school that made him the athlete, businessman and person he is today. Not by a long shot, and he’s proven that over the last few days.
On Thursday, it was announced that Mahomes and his wife, Brittany, would donate a whopping $5 million to Texas Tech’s South End Zone and Dustin R. Womble Football Center construction projects, which are nearing completion. Then on Friday, Mahomes returned to Lubbock for a few more surprises.
In collaboration with Adidas – Mahomes’ signature brand, which the quarterback associated with his alma mater as part of a 10-year apparel deal – six Texas Tech athletes signed NIL contracts and were named founding members of Team Mahomes.
“You are taking the Texas Tech brand to a global stage,” Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt told Mahomes during a press conference Friday, “and we are so proud of you. We cannot express in words our gratitude for what you continue to do.”
Six Texas Tech athletes from six sports are the first inductees. They include five-star football recruit Micah Hudson; reigning U.S. Softball College Player of the Year NiJaree Canady, who joined the Red Raiders in late July; Jasmine Shavers, the women’s basketball team’s leading scorer; golfer Matthew Comegys; soccer player Sam Courtwright, the 2023 Big 12 Freshman of the Year; and baseball All-American freshman TJ Pompey.
More: Patrick Mahomes of the Texas Tech football team donates several million dollars to the program
More: How Patrick Mahomes II and Joey McGuire collaborated with adidas to give Texas Tech football a new look
Mahomes said when he first came to Texas Tech, he expected baseball to be his primary sport and football to be a sideline. Instead, he studied under then-coach Kliff Kingsbury, took an interest in marketing at the Rawls College of Business, and the rest is history.
“It was really cool to see everything I learned at Texas Tech and how it impacted my life in the NFL,” Mahomes said, “and it will impact my life for the rest of my life.”
The two-time NFL all-time top-rated player was also instrumental in bringing Texas Tech and adidas together in the first place. Mahomes wore a piece of tape with the handwritten words “adidas” to cover the Under Armour logo during Texas Tech’s basketball team’s run to the 2019 national championship game. That has since been turned into a custom jersey design. Several volleyball players wore one at Thursday’s women’s soccer game.
Mahomes said he and Hocutt have had an ongoing relationship since he joined the NFL, with the Tech AD always checking in on him and his family. The relationship has grown over time and played a role in why Adidas and Texas Tech joined forces in July.
“I’m excited for the future,” Mahomes said. “The future with adidas, with Texas Tech and the Mahomes brand. Let’s continue to be great every day. Let’s show this nation what a great university this is in Lubbock.”
Mahomes and Texas Tech both have big ambitions for the athletic department. Mahomes toured the nearly completed south end zone building – the walk-through area at the Womble Football Center will be named after him – and the new Adidas gear in the facilities. He helped take Texas Tech to a bigger stage by being who he is, and is doing even more with his own wallet and personal brand to take it even further.
“Now we can come together,” Mahomes said, “and make our impact on the whole world.”
