Oregon football: Kayvon Thibodeaux signs six-figure endorsement deal

Oregon football defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux has reportedly signed a six-figure endorsement deal for memorabilia for the 2021 season.

Phil Knight’s involvement with the Oregon football program was always bound to play a role in new NIL deals for Ducks players.

Now there’s an official example of an Oregon athlete partnering up with Nike-adjacent figures.

Duck defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux has released an NFT in partnership with Knight and Tinker Hatfield, selling the piece for just over $100 a pop. Not only that, he’s signed a six-figure memorabilia deal for the 2021 season.

That’s a hefty profit for a player who wasn’t allowed to make money off of his name, image or likeness just a week ago. The NCAA’s NIL concession has made an immediate impact on players and their families.

Kayvon Thibodeaux is cashing in on his superstar performances for Oregon

Thibodeaux was an instant hit for Oregon after arriving as a five-star defender in 2019. He was the Pac-12’s Defensive Player of the Year. He took another step towards stardom in 2020 as the Morris Trophy winner, dubbed the best lineman in the Pac-12 as voted by his peers.

The disruptive edge rusher is expected to contend for All-American honors as a junior after posting 9.5 tackles for loss, including three sacks, as a sophomore.

As nice as that endorsement deal is, the 2021 season will have major financial implications for Thibodeaux beyond NFTs and memorabilia.

He is expected to leave for the NFL after his junior campaign with a Top 5 selection very much on the table. A big enough year could propel him to become the top defensive player picked.

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