Cody Campbell (businessman)
Cody Campbell | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 29, 1981 Lubbock, Texas, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, former professional athlete |
| Known for | Co-founder and co-CEO of Double Eagle Energy Holdings; former offensive lineman for Texas Tech Red Raiders and Indianapolis Colts; Chairman of Texas Tech University System Board of Regents |
Cody Cagle Campbell (born September 29, 1981) is an American entrepreneur and former collegiate and professional athlete. He played as an offensive lineman for the Texas Tech Red Raiders and later for the Indianapolis Colts.
Campbell is the co-founder and co-CEO of Double Eagle Energy Holdings, an upstream oil and gas enterprise headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. Since April 2021, he has been a member of the Texas Tech University System board of regents, ascending to the position of chairman in April 2025. He has played a key role in enhancing his alma mater’s NIL initiatives.
Early life
Born in Lubbock, Texas, Campbell is the oldest of two children born to Cliff and Reagan (née Cagle) Campbell. His father was a football player at Texas Tech University. Campbell represents the fourth generation of his family to attend Texas Tech, with his great-grandfather having been part of the university’s inaugural class in 1925. Raised in Canyon, Texas, he graduated from Canyon High School where he earned All-State honors as an offensive lineman and was recognized as a National Merit Scholar.
College career
In 2000, Campbell joined head coach Mike Leach’s initial recruiting class at Texas Tech. After redshirting his freshman year, he became a four-year letterman and started for two seasons on the Red Raiders’ offensive line. Throughout his college tenure, he received several All-Big 12 and Academic Big 12 distinctions as an offensive guard. He completed his education with a double major Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Business Economics with Honors, along with a Master of Science in Finance.
NFL career
Although undrafted in 2005, Campbell signed as an undrafted free agent with the Indianapolis Colts shortly after the draft. He remained with the team until August 2006 when a significant injury forced him to retire from professional football.
Business career
Campbell initiated his entrepreneurial journey while still attending Texas Tech by establishing a small real estate business alongside childhood friend and future Double Eagle co-founder John Sellers. Following the conclusion of his football career, he returned to real estate and gained experience working at Paul Kite’s firm in Indianapolis.
In 2008, Campbell and Sellers redirected their focus toward opportunities within the oilfield sector. Beginning as sole operators, they acquired oil and gas properties located in the Haynesville Shale, Eagle Ford Shale, and Permian Basin regions. The company was named "Double Eagle," inspired by their high school mascot. Over time, they expanded their team and developed expertise in technical horizontal drilling operations.
By 2013, they entered into a partnership with Apollo Global Management to invest in Oklahoma’s Anadarko and Ardmore Basins while continuing other ventures. This joint enterprise, Double Eagle Energy Holdings, was sold to Aubrey McClendon’s American Energy Non-Op in 2014.
In 2015, Sellers and Campbell launched Double Eagle Energy Holdings II, which was subsequently acquired by Parsley Energy in 2017. They then established Double Eagle Energy Holdings III focusing on assets within the Midland Basin.
The year 2018 saw their merger with FourPoint Energy to create Double Point Energy, which was purchased by Pioneer Natural Resources in April 2021.
In 2022, Campbell and Sellers formed Double Eagle Energy Holding IV through a partnership with Encap Energy Capital. This entity accumulated substantial acreage across the Midland Basin before its sale to Diamondback Natural Resources in February 2025.
Apart from Double Eagle ventures, Sellers and Campbell co-founded Tumbleweed Royalty, a prominent mineral and royalty acquisition company operating nationwide. Tumbleweed Royalty IV was sold to Viper Energy Inc. in September 2024.
Texas Tech University
In 2021, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Campbell to serve on the Texas Tech System Board of Regents, and in 2025, he was chosen as Chairman. Campbell made a significant $25 million donation to upgrade Texas Tech’s athletic infrastructure, which resulted in the football field at Jones AT&T Stadium being named “Cody Campbell Field” to honor his contribution. Together with John Sellers, he established the Matador Club, Texas Tech’s Name Image and Likeness (NIL) Collective. In 2019, he was recognized as a Distinguished Alumnus by the Texas Tech Rawls College of Business.
Personal life
Campbell is married to Tara Campbell; the couple met during their time as students at Texas Tech and are parents to four children. He holds a position on the Board of Directors for the Texas Public Policy Foundation and is a Distinguished Fellow as well as a former board member of the America First Policy Institute. Furthermore, Campbell is a member of the Board of Trustees at All Saints Episcopal School located in Fort Worth.