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Texas Tech football: The career earnings of notable Red Raiders not named Pat Mahomes

By Matthew Conner

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 17: Michael Crabtree #15 of the Oakland Raiders looks on after catching a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 17, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 17: Michael Crabtree #15 of the Oakland Raiders looks on after catching a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 17, 2017 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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MIA MI, FL – January 14: Donny Anderson #44 of the Green Bay Packers carries the ball against the Oakland Raiders during Super Bowl II January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The Packers won the game 33-14. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
MIA MI, FL – January 14: Donny Anderson #44 of the Green Bay Packers carries the ball against the Oakland Raiders during Super Bowl II January 14, 1968 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. The Packers won the game 33-14. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Donny Anderson

During his playing days at Texas Tech, running back Donny Anderson was known as the “Golden Palomino” because of his blonde hair and the way he galloped down the field.  But soon after signed his initial contract with the Green Bay Packers in 1965, he earned a new moniker as part of the “Gold Dust Twins”.

That’s because a year later the Packers drafted RB Jim Grabowski from Illinois and the two signed contracts that combined surpassed $1 million.  In an era of the NFL when almost every player had to have an offseason job just to make ends meet, those contracts made waves across the sports landscape similar to the commotion Mahomes’ extension created in 2020.

Anderson was the more highly-compensated of the two players as his initial NFL contract was valued at $600,000.  To put that in perspective, the NFL rookie minimum in 2019 was $495,000.

The massive hype that came with that deal was unfair to Anderson and he never quite lived up to it.  However, he did earn a spot in the 1968 Pro Bowl and led the Packers in rushing in 1970 with 853 yards.

In his 9-year NFL career, he amassed 7,244 total yards and 55 TDs.  But his legacy will forever be that of one of the first players in NFL history to sign a mega-contract.

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