Louisville punter says he opted out of Sun Bowl because of unpaid NIL money

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Louisville punter Brady Hodges said he opted out of the Sun Bowl this week because the Cardinals’ NIL collective did not pay money promised to him in September.

Hodges posted on social media during Tuesday’s game against Washington in El Paso, Texas, that he had not been with the team since Dec. 10.

“I graduated on December 13th and had every intention on being with the team had they held up their end of the deal,” Hodges wrote. He did not disclose how much money he is owed.

Dan Furman, president of 502Circle, did not respond to an emailed request for comment.

Hodges was Louisville’s primary punter and holder for two seasons. Redshirt freshman Carter Schwartz took over those duties in the Cardinals’ 35-34 Sun Bowl win. Schwartz averaged 43.7 yards on six punts, with two downed at the Washington 3-yard line and another at the Huskies 16.

Matthew Sluka, starting quarterback for the UNLV football team, left the Rebels after three games in September because he was never paid a $100,000 NIL deal. Former Florida quarterback signee Jaden Rashada, now playing at Georgia, sued Gators coach Billy Napier last year over an unpaid $13 million NIL deal. Several Tulsa players claim they were never paid thousands in NIL commitments made by former coach Kevin Wilson.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.

Leave a Reply

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.