Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is partnering with T-Mobile on a campaign to bolster high school football in rural areas.
T-Mobile
Even during the hectic NFL season, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tries to attend at least one local high school football game each year.
“I kind of try to pop in and surprise teams,” Mahomes exclusively shared.
He notably watched the sons of then-offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt face off in a Blue Valley West High vs. Blue Valley High game. He and his Chiefs teammates sat in the band section of the Kansas school.
During his own prep days, Mahomes never won a state title at Whitehouse High in Texas, but he still relishes his playoff victories.
“Those bus rides home — those are some of the best memories I’ll ever have,” Mahomes said. “Just playing with my teammates, it was kids I grew up with and played in the front yard. We dreamed about playing under the lights on Friday nights.”
Now Mahomes — along with Rob Gronkowski — is part of T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights program, giving small-town high schools a chance to compete for a million dollar upgrade to their football field.
It’s the third year of the campaign and the second year Mahomes has been involved. Mahomes and Gronkowski will serve as spokesmen and promote Friday Night 5G Lights on social media.
T-Mobile started as a telecommunications company in the largest markets of the United States but did not have a presence in rural areas until merging with Sprint in 2020.
Now it is trying to amplify it.
“We wanted to put billions of dollars of investment into rural America,” said Jon Freier, T-Mobile’s chief operating officer, “to showcase the community spirts and the pride.”
Freier graduated from Permian High in 1993 and was in the school system when Buzz Bissinger was writing his acclaimed Friday Night Lights book about Permian. Freier even dated the daughter of head coach Gary Gaines. In the film version, Billy Bob Thornton plays Coach Gaines.
Though Jay Ferguson, a former co-worker, came up with the Friday Night 5G Lights idea, Freier was the perfect person to spearhead it.
“When I heard it,” Freier said, “I put the idea on steroids.”
How T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights Campaign Works
To qualify for the campaign, U.S. schools have to be located in communities with populations of 150,000 or fewer. School representatives must submit a compelling online essay describing their community’s current Friday night experience and how the upgrade would impact it.
Schools can rally their community, get creative and spread the word on social media to amplify their message.
In addition to the grand prize, schools can receive $5,000, $25,000 and $250,000 rewards.
“It’s awesome what the 5G Lights are doing with T-Mobile and how they’re giving back to these small-town high schools,” Mahomes said, “and giving them the resources they need so they can build their own memories.”
The 2025 season saw more than 2,100 schools apply across 48 states, and 475 schools received funding.
T-Mobile doubled its Friday Night 5G Lights’ budget for 2026. The application window opened in April and closes on Sept. 18, and by late July, more than 2,000 applications had been received.
From Aug. 7 to Sept. 18, one thousand schools will be selected to receive $5,000 each as part of the weekly $5K Fridays sweepstakes, including 300 winners announced in the first week alone. The grand prize winner will be revealed on Nov. 12.
“It’s really cool,” Mahomes said, “to be part of a campaign like this.”
Mahomes’ Business Strategy
Mahomes has been a spokesman for T-Mobile since 2023.
Because Mahomes is the face of the NFL, it’s no surprise that T-Mobile is just one of the brands affiliated with Mahomes.
The three-time Super Bowl MVP also endorses Coors Light, Hublot, Adidas, State Farm, T-Mobile, Oakley, CommunityAmerica Credit Union, Whoop, Throne SPORT COFFEE, Meta, Invisalign, Panini and Airbnb.
Mahomes, though, has many opportunities come his way and is selective on what he promotes.
“It’s going to be something that’s true to me and something I truly care about,” he said. “This one obviously is easy because I care about high school football so much.”
Even before becoming a high school star himself, Mahomes went to games on Friday nights. He reminisced about watching future NFL MVP Adrian Peterson play for Palestine High in Texas.
“Growing up in Texas, high school football was everything,” Mahomes said. “Everybody would be in the stadium watching you play.”
The winner of the T-Mobile’s Friday Night 5G Lights program will get to play on a revamped field.
What would Mahomes tell the football players from the winning high school?
“Just enjoy those moments,” he said. “Those games go by fast. So enjoy them and play your heart out, and you’ll build those memories.”