The college football and the NFL community are witnessing a developing conflict between Jaden Rashada and a University of Florida staffer. A full-blown legal battle is about to commence between the Bulldogs QB and head coach Billy Napier, along with booster Hugh Hathcock, alleging that the defendants tricked him out of a $9.5 million NIL deal. Recently, the Rich Eisen Show spoke about the implications and intricacies of the case.
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During a recent episode of the show, Ross Dellenger, a renowned Yahoo sports reporter, and guest host Kirk Morrison discussed the impending legal issue that Rashada’s case highlights. They spoke about how it’s ironic that Rashada, a Georgia QB, is suing their biggest rival, the University of Florida.
Dellenger divulged the details of the case and explained that the young QB was initially promised the sum of $13.85 million, with $1 million going to him as a signing day bonus.
The lawsuit, however, claims that these promises haven’t been fulfilled. Interestingly, there is heavy involvement from boosters as well. Dellenger also mentioned that these implications could have been caused due to the lack of rules around NIL deals. He believes that several athletes have fallen victim to this ‘booster-led’ NIL world, and Rashada might just be the most public example.
Notably, the biggest thorn in Rashada’s side is that he was offered a NIL deal from the University of Miami for almost $10 million. However, due to the promises made to him by the Gators, he declined the huge sum. After these allegations went public, the Florida Gators wasted no time in responding.
The Gators’ Response to the Allegation of Rashada
As the allegations against the HC of the Gators became public, the University promptly released a statement. As reported by SI, the university is taking an extremely neutral stance. They have neither come out in support of their head coach nor denied the allegations. Instead, the Athletics Department of Florida made it clear that their name hadn’t been mentioned in the lawsuit, noting,
“We do not comment on ongoing litigation, and neither the University Athletic Association nor the University are named in the complaint.”
However, UF also stated that the university’s athletic association will cover Napier’s legal counsel. This lawsuit may finally bring attention to the recurring booster involvement issue in recruitment. It has gone unnoticed for quite some time now, and a change is certainly warranted, considering the future of these aspiring athletes.
