How College Earnings Shaped the Big Game’s Stars
At RallyFuel, we believe fans can directly fuel the next generation of stars through no-risk, fan-powered NIL support.
Super Bowl LX shows how NIL has already reshaped paths to the pros. Here’s how it played out for the key players in this epic New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks matchup.
Two Quarterbacks, Two Very Different NIL Eras
The starting quarterbacks in Super Bowl LX — Drake Maye (New England) and Sam Darnold (Seattle) — represent a perfect case study in NIL contrasts.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules, which went into effect in July 2021, allow college athletes to earn money through endorsements, sponsorships, and school-affiliated collectives while maintaining NCAA eligibility.
These two quarterbacks arrived on opposite sides of that line.
Drake Maye: NIL as Early Leverage
A second-year pro, Maye is already an established superstar.
- 2025 season: 4,394 passing yards, 31 TDs
- NFL MVP voting: Finished second to Matthew Stafford
- Contract: Four-year rookie deal worth $36.639M, including a $23.467M signing bonus
But Maye entered the NFL already a millionaire.
While at North Carolina, Maye had an estimated $1.2M NIL valuation, driven by:
- North Carolina’s collective (Heels4Life)
- Jimmy’s Famous Seafood
- Bose
- Mitchell Heating and Cooling
After his breakout sophomore season in 2022, reports surfaced that two schools offered Maye ~$5M to transfer. He dismissed the rumors, stayed put, and boosted his draft stock.
NIL didn’t distract him — it gave him leverage.
Sam Darnold: Pre-NIL, Post-Payday
Darnold earned exactly $0 in NIL.
Why? NIL didn’t exist when he played at Southern Cal (2015–2017).
His professional path was far less linear:
- 2018: Drafted 3rd overall by the New York Jets (4-year, $30.25M deal)
- Jets tenure: 13–25 record as a starter
- 2021: Traded to Carolina Panthers
- 2023: Backup with the San Francisco 49ers
- 2024: Signs with Minnesota, unexpectedly starts after J.J. McCarthy injury
That opportunity changed everything.
Darnold:
- Led the Vikings to the playoffs
- Earned his first Pro Bowl selection
- Signed a 3-year, $100.5M contract with Seattle
Seattle has been rewarded:
- 14–3 regular season
- NFC Championship: 346 yards, 3 TDs vs. the Rams
No NIL cushion. No early leverage. Just persistence.
NIL Beyond the Quarterbacks
Darnold wasn’t alone in missing the NIL window.
Several major contributors in Super Bowl LX played before NIL arrived:
- Stefon Diggs (WR, New England)
- Hunter Henry (TE, New England)
- Kenneth Walker III (RB, Seattle)
But others timed it perfectly.
Players Who Cashed In During College
TreVeyon Henderson — RB, New England
- Ohio State NIL valuation: $670K (2023)
- Buckeyes’ collective paid >$1M to retain him in 2024
- Result: National title, 1,000+ rushing yards
- Rookie season: 911 yards, 9 TDs
- NFL contract: 4 years, $11.143M
Will Campbell — OT, New England
- First-round pick (2025)
- NFL contract: 4 years, $43.6M
- NIL deals at LSU with:
- Sunshine Quality Solutions
- John Deere
- LSU collective
Craig Woodson — S, New England
- Minimal NIL at Cal
- Fourth-round pick (2025)
- NFL contract: 4 years, $5.26M
- Rookie season: 79 tackles, outperformed draft slot
Jaxon Smith-Njigba — WR, Seattle
- 2025 stats: 119 catches, 1,793 yards, 10 TDs
- Awards: All-Pro, AP Offensive Player of the Year
- NFL contract: 4 years, $14.4M
- Ohio State NIL valuation: >$1.4M
- Brand deals: Express, DSW
Byron Murphy II — DT, Seattle
- First-round pick (2024)
- 2025 breakout: 62 tackles, 7 sacks
- NFL contract: ~$16M
- Texas NIL valuation (final season): $652K
Nick Emmanwori — S, Seattle
- Early second-round pick (2025)
- Rookie year: 81 tackles, 2.5 sacks
- NFL contract: 4 years, $11.6M (fully guaranteed)
- South Carolina NIL earnings: >$100K
- Brands: Palmetto Cards, Pit Viper
What Super Bowl LX Tells Us About NIL
Super Bowl LX makes one thing clear:
NIL is not just “extra money.”
It is:
- Early financial security
- Risk mitigation
- Transfer leverage
- Career-shaping optionality
Players who entered college after 2021 were able to monetize their brand before their first NFL snap. Others missed that window entirely — often by just a few years.
While NFL contracts remain the ultimate payday, NIL has become a critical first layer of wealth creation, especially for players whose careers don’t follow a straight line to stardom.
The Bigger Truth
Timing matters.
The era in which an athlete enters college can shape:
- Their earning potential
- Their leverage
- Their long-term career trajectory
Platforms like RallyFuel are changing that equation — letting fans contribute directly and safely to college athletes from day one, helping create more stable, empowered paths like the ones we see in today’s Super Bowl stars.
Will the next Super Bowl quarterback be fueled by fan-powered NIL from day one?
Fuel the future at RallyFuel.
Learn More About the NIL Landscape
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.
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