Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire makes good on promise, climbs 220-foot crane

Texas Tech football coach Joey McGuire on Monday delivered on a promise he made back in April to raise the Red Raiders' profile to new heights.

Specifically, 220 feet.

With a school videographer and four construction company workers in tow, McGuire made the climb to the top of a construction crane at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, where a major renovation project for the Red Raiders' home field is taking place.

Two months ago, McGuire was asked in a private message how many retweets it would take to get him to climb the crane. He replied: "3000 and I'm in."

And on Monday, it happened.

To prevent a crowd from gathering, the school didn't publicize the event until after it happened and officials insisted McGuire was never in any danger.

"Zero. Every safety precaution there is was utilized," Texas Tech assistant athletics director for media relations Matt Dowdy told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "He was also with the experts that go up and down there every day."

Later that evening, the second-year head coach and the school let fans know the mission had been accomplished.

The four-story construction project at the south end of Jones AT&T Stadium will house offices, club seating, locker rooms and other amenities. It's scheduled to be completed in time for the 2024 football season.