$242 million Texas Tech football facility flaunts Patrick Mahomes inspired space, world class amenities and more
Patrick Mahomes is arguably Texas Tech's most successful gridiron passer-through. The three-time Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs quarterback probably wishes he got to spend time in the Red Raiders' new, state-of-the-art football facility as a collegian.
On Wednesday, Texas Tech officially opened the Womble Football Center, a building that, in theory, will help the Red Raiders' program move forward. The facility sports a barbershop, podcast studio, two-story team lounge, hydro and cryo recovery areas, and a new locker room and weight room. There's also a walk-through room bearing Patrick Mahomes' name.
The facility is named after Dustin R. Womble, a prominent figure in the Texas Tech community. The project has been in the making for a while.
"The only challenge? This would take millions of dollars and years to build," Lucy Greenberg of Texas Tech Now wrote last September. "No one wanted to make the stadium, the heartbeat of campus, a longstanding construction zone. In many cases, when college football stadiums undergo construction, it can affect the program for years.
"That's when Texas Tech University alumnus Chris Huckabee came into the picture. Since then, this project has become truly a product for Red Raiders, by Red Raiders, as Huckabee assembled a team of project managers, engineers, architects and more, who all have personal ties to Texas Tech."
What has Patrick Mahomes done for Texas Tech?
Patrick Mahomes will forever be tied to Texas Tech. He paced the country in passing in 2016, the same season he broke the FBS high-water mark for single-game total offense with 819 yards against Oklahoma.
His time as a Red Raider boosted him into his position as the NFL's premier signal-caller, and he wanted to show his appreciation for the college program that helped him grow.
"Texas Tech was in talks at the time with Under Armour to extend their apparel and equipment contract, but Mahomes, who had recently signed with Adidas, had a different pitch: why not sign with Adidas and include his own brand in the contract," CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello wrote last month.
Last year, Texas Tech switched its branding to Adidas and agreed to a 10-year partnership. Mahomes' logo adorned the team's jerseys for a game against Colorado.
"Seeing my own logo on the Texas Tech uniform I put so much blood, sweat and tears in is one of the most meaningful off-field accomplishments of my career," Mahomes said.
Texas Tech advertises its school in the Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium, and Patrick Mahomes' connection has led to more students from the Kansas City area attending his alma mater. Texas Tech athletic director Kirby Hocutt has been on record, claiming what Mahomes has done for his school is priceless.