UNLV Rebels Head Coach Dan Mullen: "If Our Guys Want To Go Play In The NFL, They Better Get Used To That"

UNLV Rebels head coach returned to coaching in 2025 to a very different landscape than the one he left just a few short years ago. During his absence from coaching, the transfer portal and NIL deals have been pushed to the forefront of college football. This is something that Mullen was able to take full advantage of in his first season with the program, but he also acknowledges the concerns with the systems in place. He had spoken to the official UNLV website about these topics and more.

UNLV Rebels Head Coach Dan Mullen On Players Getting NIL Deals And How It Impacts The Team

"Now, that second one actually helped us this year; we lost very little and added some great pieces." Mullen said. "But I believe what’s good for the game is to have one window. That way our student-athletes understand when they sign with a school that it’s a [minimum] commitment of exactly one year.

How players are being paid also needs to be looked at. As originally designed, players could only profit from their name, image and likeness (NIL). The reality is — and everyone knew it would end up this way — that it’s a pay-for-play model. That leads to a lot of discrepancy and imbalance, and I don’t love that."

Mullen On Players Having To Deal With The Fact That Other Players May Be Making More Or Less Money Than Them In Todays College Football Landscape

"Listen, if our guys want to go play in the NFL, they better get used to that. I can go right down the street to the Las Vegas Raiders’ complex, and they’re all making different amounts of money."

Mullen On Fans Having To Become More Connected To The Program Itself Rather Than The Players Because Of All The Movement In Today's Game

"That’s where you encourage your fan base to become more attached to the program.

Now, one part that is going to be difficult — and we’re going to see this become more of a thing the further down the road we get — is how players are viewed by fans and the university in a historical context. For instance, here at UNLV, Randall Cunningham is a Rebel through and through. Tim Tebow is a Florida Gator through and through. Now you’re going to start seeing fans say things like, “Man, he was awesome for us! But he was only here for two years. And now he also has an attachment to another fan base.

So when it comes to fan connections with players, it’s going to be less of a year-to-year issue and more about how fans will have fewer historical ties to all-time greats."

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