Michigan Players Confident NIL Deals Won't Spark Locker Room Conflict
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — College football players have often described their schedule as being similar to having two full-time jobs. That's a lot to handle for an 18- to 22-year olds — especially at a high academic school — and part of why those who perform at the highest level are so revered by fans.
Now, add name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities into the mix, and flat-out 'hectic' can turn into 'overwhelming.'
Just over three weeks into the NIL era, that has become the case for Michigan football junior defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a preseason All-American with NFL aspirations and a household name.
Right away, Hutchinson released his own t-shirt line through The Players Trunk, promoted The Wolverine Magazine's Football Preview issue, which he's the cover boy for, and is selling his jersey through the M Den. But as fall camp, which begins August 6 for the Wolverines, approaches, Hutchinson has been delegating some of the work.
"I first started dealing with it right when it happened. I was getting involved and it was pretty exciting at first. Now, two weeks later, now I'm into it, now people are kind of hitting me up and it's like, I don't want to deal with any of that," Hutchinson said at Big Ten Media Days. "My parents [mother Melissa and father Chris] honestly, have been really critical with helping me with this.
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"My mom loves this stuff and she loves promoting me. She's really taking over that for me and she'll ask me something, 'Do you want to do this?' I'm like, 'Sure.' She will do all the communicating and she'll do all of that. I'm thankful for her and all the hard work she's done.
"It reached one moment where I kind of felt a little bit tired. I was like, I don't want to do this anymore so I kind of don't really respond. It's gotten to that point. I just want to play ball, man. That's why I'm here."
The same goes for redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins, who is also selling his jersey but is taking his time and not rushing into any deals.
"I’m getting a little tired of going back and forth with people, so I’m handing that over to my parents, as well," Haskins said. "It is getting a little overwhelming. I’m trying to focus on football."
A key question from many following the NCAA's passing of NIL legislation was just how big of a distraction it will become.
While speaking with reporters, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh made it clear that he still believes a football player's brand is his film, a student's brand is their grades and a person's brand is the way they treat people. His players appear to be along the same line of thinking.
"Your gameplay is the most important thing right now — you actually playing and producing — and then everything else is going to come," redshirt junior Josh Ross said.
For example, freshman quarterback J.J McCarthy announced this week that he will be donating a portion of his NIL earnings to non-profit organizations such as C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, while also reaffirming that his most important commitment is to his academics and to win for Michigan. Hutchinson, Haskins and Ross all said they believe NIL can become a distraction, and made sure to note how important it is to make sure, as leaders, it doesn't come to that.
"It’s a big deal, and it’s really, really a good thing that us college athletes are able to get paid for our image and likeness, all that good stuff," Ross said. "But just make sure not to make it a distraction — let your play speak for itself."
"I could see it as a distraction," Haskins added. "College athletes need to get their mind right and not try to get too sidetracked with that, and just stay focused with football — that’s why we’re here. We’ve just got to learn that it can be a distraction."
Another big question is whether or not NIL deals can create a locker room divide due to jealousy, something that the Wolverines acknowledged as a possibility, though they're confident it won't happen in Ann Arbor.
"I think with the group of guys that we've got, no," Hutchinson said when asked the question. "The leaders that we have and the people that have a good head on things have a good knowledge of how it can hurt your team.
"With our team, I don't think it will. With other teams, maybe, I'm not completely sure. If it does get out of control, which I don't think it would, we've got the leaders in place to take care of that."
Those in the college athletics world have cited the fact that athletes will be taxed for their income as a potential hurdle. The players are just as concerned as the outsiders, and they hope the universities provide more information and resources to their students.
"I’m still trying to learn what I can and cannot do. Still learning," Haskins said.
"There’s really no knowledge about it, and we’re our own agents at this point," Ross said. "I think there’s more knowledge that should be given from the schools. I know it’s fresh and it’s the first year and it happened July 1st, but that’s something that needs to come soon, just knowledge and players being taught realistically what this is and how to benefit from it."
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