Jared Curtis Demonstrates Simple Mindset On Pat McAfee Show

In case there were any worries in regard to whether Jared Curits would be distracted by his role in Nate Bargatze’s new movie “The Benchwarmer,” Bargatze cleared something up Friday on the Pat McAfee Show.

Curtis’ filming schedule came in the midst of Vanderbilt’s spring practices, and Bargatze says that Curtis was intent on being at Vanderbilt’s McGugin Center daily instead of missing days of practice in favor of pursuing his NIL-related activities with Bargatze.

“He wanted to be there for the practice; he did not want special treatment,” Bargatze said Friday. “So we stayed, we flew later than we were going to. So, respect to him, he’s not trying to take the limelight. He’s a leader.”

Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea told Vandy on SI in the spring that it would be an exaggeration to say that Curtis is breaking down the huddle at this stage of his Vanderbilt career–which includes a quarterback competition that he hasn’t yet won–but that platform will inevitably come for Curtis because of his profile.

Curtis is Vanderbilt’s highest-ranked high school commit in the program’s history and is its first five-star recruit since the inception of the recruiting rankings era. Vanderbilt was able to flip his commitment from Georgia on the heels of what sources told Vandy on SI is one of the most substantial player compensation deals in the history of Vanderbilt athletics and a chance at immediate playing time.

He’s yet to take a snap for Vanderbilt, but he’s already among the most well known players in program history because of opportunities like Bargatze gave him to have a line in the beginning of his movie and the one McAfee provided for him to share his story on national television. Curtis is an example of the reach college athletes have been given in the Name, Image and Likeness era. He doesn’t appear to be letting it get to his head, though.

Vanderbilt quarterback Jared Curtis (2) directs his receivers while pressured by Vanderbilt linebacker Nick Rinaldi (24) during Vanderbilt Football's Black and Gold Spring Game in FirstBank Stadium at Vanderbilt University Saturday, April 18, 2026. | DENNY SIMMONS / THE TENNESSEAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“I kind of just went with it,” Curtis said in regard to the NIL era. “If somebody reaches out to me, most of the time, they'll reach out to Peter First, which is my agent, but if they reach out to me, I'll just send them his number, him my mom, I'm getting in contact if it's important, I'm going. If it's something like, you know, they might not think that it's necessary, then I won't go, but whatever they tell me goes, so, I just listen to them.”

Curtis’ NIL opportunities have been abundant to this stage and they’ll continue to come if he performs as a freshman at FirstBank Stadium. The idea that Curtis is wrapped up in the ways to maximize his compensation these days isn’t all that difficult to disprove.

He knows that the money will come if he becomes the next NFL quarterback to come through Vanderbilt. The outcome is as possible for Curtis as it has been for any Vanderbilt quarterback at this stage of development. Curtis has made a number of throws throughout Vanderbilt’s open practice periods that indicate a bright future is ahead, but he’s yet to put it all together fully.

Lea is urging Curtis to understand that it all doesn’t have to be figured out at this stage of his development, and he appears to be internalizing that message despite the lucrative financial deal he received and the spotlight on him.

“Building relationships is probably the biggest thing regardless of who you are,” Curtis said. “You just have to build a relationship with everybody, and I feel like that’s the biggest thing to build a brotherhood.”

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