Joe Burrow on Texas Longhorns' Quinn Ewers: 'Poster Child of NIL'

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers was among the first to truly take advantage of NIL.

Jon Alfano | Feb 8, 2025

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) celebrates after the game-winning touchdown pass to Tee Higgins in overtime of the NFL Week 17 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Denver Broncos at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. The Bengals took a 30-24 win in overtime to remain in the post season chase. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Texas Longhorns

When Joe Burrow and the LSU Tigers won the 2019 national championship in dominant fashion, it essentially marked the end of an era in college football.

Yes, the 2020 season was a mess due to COVID-19, but the real changes came just after. In 2021, the Supreme Court's decision in the NCAA v. Alston case opened the floodgates for athletes of all levels to profit off of their name, image, and likeness (NIL). With the advent of the transfer portal, NIL has radically transformed the sport compared to where it was half a decade ago.

If anyone embodies the new age of college football, Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers would be a solid candidate. Ewers began his career with the Ohio State Buckeyes as a backup to C.J. Stroud and was the first amateur athlete to ever sign an NIL deal worth over $1 million. Once he transferred to Texas, his value skyrocketed as he partnered with brands such as Dr. Pepper and even appeared on the cover of EA Sports' "College Football 25."

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers after a loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes

Texas Longhorns quarterback Quinn Ewers (3) looks into the crowd after the 28-14 loss to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff semifinal game in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium on Friday, Jan. 10, 2024 in Arlington, Texas. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Burrow, who also started out at Ohio State and is one of the last faces of the pre-NIL era, was recently asked for his thoughts on Ewers and the NIL landscape on the "Dan Patrick Show." Patrick referred to Ewers as "the poster child of NIL," which the Cincinnati Bengals star agreed with.

"Yeah, I mean, you should take advantage of [NIL]," Burrow said. "If you're going to be able to make seven figures in college, you gotta go and take advantage of that. If you're in high school and you're getting offered that, go wherever they're paying you the most."

It's not like Ewers is only notable for his NIL value, though. He's also led the Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinals in back-to-back seasons and helped bring the team back to national prominence after the darkness of the 2010s. Now, he figures to be a relatively early pick in the upcoming NFL Draft and could be a solid starter in time.

Maybe he won't reach the heights Burrow has at both the collegiate and professional levels, but Ewers has forged a career to be proud of.