CJ Stroud donates to NIL Fund
Former Ohio State QB Makes ‘Platinum’ Contribution To THE Foundation NIL Fund
NIL is wild, I’m telling you. Much like scholars donate to the alma mater for continuing education, athletes now donate to help “pay” for student-athletes. There seems to be a tad bit of panic in Columbus as Michigan has beaten them three times in a row and just won the Natty, and reports a few weeks ago mentioned Coach Day not being a big fan of paying to entice players. Something must have changed as CJ Stroud donates to the NIL Fund set up to help that very process.
Not only the marquee donation, but it appears the Buckeyes are scooping up major talent in the transfer portal. Surely money is part of the bargaining tool. Perhaps people around Day had to give him a dose of reality, pay, or lose out on a roster chock full of 4 and 5-star players.
Possibly Six Figures
Stroud reportedly pledged a significant amount of sums to THE Foundation and they announced he is an Official Founders Club Platinum Donor, meaning he contributed somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000. The former two-time Heisman finalist quarterback also became the first former student-athlete partner to become a major donor and follow the “pay it forward” mantra.
THE Foundation was created by former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones and Brian Schottenstein in hopes of bolstering the Buckeyes’ playing field in the world of NIL. Drafted second overall last April, Stroud spent two seasons as Ohio State’s starter, throwing for 8,123 yards and 85 touchdowns. He posted a 22-4 record overall and guided the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff berth in 2022.
Stroud had big NIL Deals
On3 reported that Stroud had signed NIL deals worth $2.9 million before the draft. His impressive performance at NRG Stadium has since garnered him more fans and earnings. Stroud’s dynamic personality was instrumental in Houston’s resurgence last fall. The Texans had only won 11 games in the previous three seasons (2020-2022). However, with Stroud leading the team, they won their first division title since 2019 and secured their first playoff victory in four years.
Stroud, who is the leading candidate to win Offensive Rookie of the Year, made history by becoming just the fifth rookie quarterback in the league’s history to throw for more than 4,000 yards (4,108) in a single season. The other rookies to achieve this feat are Andrew Luck, Justin Herbert, Cam Newton, and Jameis Winston. Additionally, Stroud made headlines when he led his team to a resounding 45-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round, making him the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game at just 22 years old, surpassing the record previously held by Atlanta’s Michael Vick in 2002.