The Toll of NIL

“If NIL deals were in effect before and schools were offering money, I probably would have chosen football.”

— Olympian and NCAA Champion, Micah Williams

College athletes are navigating new rules allow which allow them to get paid for the use of their name, image and likeness. Many pundits and fans stay up to date on the biggest NIL deals, such as the partnership between USC’s Caleb Williams and multi-billion dollar audio company Beats by Dre. But most are unaware of the personal effects of NIL deals on collegiate athletes. Since NIL deals were only recently enacted, there’s little we understand about the impact they have on the mental well-being of college athletes — especially those not getting lucrative contracts.