LAS VEGAS – Patrick Mahomes left Lubbock as one of the best players in program history, but his status as a legend was cemented when he partnered with Adidas for a 10-year apparel sponsorship deal that begins July 1, 2024. Mahomes and Texas Tech weren't synonymous before, but they are now.
“Being an Adidas team is one thing, being an Adidas and Patrick Mahomes team is another,” Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire said at a news conference. “He's a proud alumnus. He played a huge role in the deal.”
Texas Tech unveiled three new uniforms earlier this month, with another to be unveiled during the season. The new helmets were on display at Big 12 media days, which began Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Red Raiders brought five players to the event, including starting offensive lineman Caleb Rodgers. It was clear that Mahomes and Adidas' influence is already being felt at West Texas.
The super senior struggled with the departure of Matt Wells, the arrival of McGuire and a number of position changes, and after witnessing Texas Tech's downturn first-hand, he now believes his partnership with Mahomes marks the start of a new chapter — one where Texas Tech is on fire.
“Being able to take part in that photo shoot and be the first team to play and win in those jerseys was special for this team,” Rodgers said. “It was a personal highlight for me at Texas Tech.”
During his three-year career at Lubbock, Mahomes passed for 11,252 yards and 115 touchdowns in just 32 games. He finished his career as a Red Raider, ranking third in school history in passing yards, touchdown passes and completions. He was the nation's leading passer in 2016 as a junior, his final season at Texas Tech, throwing for 5,052 yards in 12 games. Mahomes has been selected to play in the Texas Tech Ring of Honor for 2022.
“I wouldn't be where I am today without Texas Tech and I'm proud to welcome Red Raider Nation into the Three Stripes family,” Mahomes said in a press release last month. “Today is just the beginning of a great partnership with adidas, so stay tuned for more we're excited to work on together this fall.”
College football is an exercise in perception, where wallets and brands take precedence over tradition and history. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark weighed in on the conference's future Tuesday morning, which could include co-sponsorship of everything from official uniforms to the tablets coaches use in their booths. Private equity is also on the table.
The conference's goal is to catch up with the SEC and Big Ten, and to do that it needs teams that can win at the highest level, and Texas Tech, which hasn't won a conference championship since 1976, believes Mahomes and a huge, passionate, oil-rich fanbase can be big successes in college football's new environment.
Why wouldn't they? Texas Tech spent more than $200 million on a south end zone expansion at Jones AT&T Stadium. The team signed a five-star recruit for 2023. The Matadors are on the cutting edge of the NIL. McGuire is the first coach since Sloan to have a winning record in conference play in his first two seasons. It might not all be in Lubbock yet, but with the support of alumni like Mahomes and Cody Campbell, the Red Raiders should be able to break away from the Big 12 pack, Las Vegas players say.
“It speaks volumes about what we're doing at Texas Tech as a program and as a team,” Rodgers said. “It's a dream to be here at Texas Tech these days. I think we have the best culture. We're adding the best facilities and best uniforms in college football. We just signed a partnership in the country (with Adidas and Mahomes).”
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