What It Means: Texas Tech Football Team Awarded $25,000 NIL Deals

In a legendary move that will resonate not only in Lubbock, Texas but the entire nation, the Matador Club announced today that 100 Texas Tech Football players were offered $25,000 NIL Deals that would renew yearly. Don Williams of the Lubbock A-J first reported the news.

The news that broke today is the beginning of a movement that will change the lives of hundreds, if not thousands. The football team was the recipient of the great news today, but soon (and some indicate very soon), more teams at Texas Tech will receive team-wide NIL deals.

This sets a precedent for not only the State of Texas, but the entire nation: Come to Texas Tech and earn NIL money just for being on the team. Different from other programs that only pay the best-performing and star players. Now, the star performers on the Texas Tech Football team are able to earn additional NIL money, something that could change lives even more.

Quarterback Donovan Smith spoke to the media today about his days as a Uber Eats driver and how with the addition of this NIL deal, he and his teammates can focus on football and only football.

This not only frees up many Texas Tech athletes to no longer have to worry about side hustles to make ends meet, but it will also be used as a recruiting tool to bring the best athletes to Lubbock. Head Coach Joey McGuire said during Big 12 Media Days last week that the school wants to be a developmental program. This doesn’t necessarily mean bringing in the best recruits in the rankings but targeting kids that might not have the chance to make NIL money early at other schools.

Today changed all of that. The guarantee of large amounts of money the second you step on campus is something that no other school, not Texas, not Alabama, not Texas A&M, and not Miami can provide. The Matador Club and its network of Texas Tech Donors have just changed the face of College Football as we know it.

It’s a great day to be a Red Raider, this is just the beginning!