*Jackson State’s quarterback Shedeur Sanders has inked a historic NIL with Gatorade.
NIL refers to the rights of college athletes to profit from their personal brand, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
“I’m honored to be a part of the Gatorade family. First and foremost, I’m blessed. It’s a great opportunity. As a kid, I was drinking Gatorade regularly. So now that we have the opportunity to partner with them and be a part of Gatorade, I’m very blessed,” said Sanders, as reported by Sports Illustrated.
Sanders is the first HBCU student-athlete to join an elite roster of superstars from the sports world who have partnered with the brand, including Serena Williams, J.J. Watt, Zion Williamson, Trevor Lawrence, DK Metcalf, Candace Parker, and Jayson Tatum.
OTHER NEWS: Super Bowl Caliber Coaches: The Journal of Steffanie Rivers | WATCH
Scroll to continue reading
“This whole HBCU thing that’s going on right now is bringing national attention,” Sanders said. “We got players from Power 5 actually coming to HBCU schools now, it wasn’t like that a couple years ago, so it’s just really exciting to see that competition will go up. Everything’s going to go up, and honestly, other players in HBCUs should get deals also.”
NIL deals like Sanders’ have become a part of college athletics.
“As one of the country’s best freshmen college football players, Shedeur Sanders is another incredible addition to the Gatorade Family,” said Chauncey Hamlett, CMO/VP of PepsiCo Beverages North America South Division. “In his first year at Jackson State University, he’s already demonstrated the excellence and tenacity Gatorade athletes are known for, and we’re excited to partner with him and build upon our commitment of supporting HBCUs and their athletes.”
Per SI, Sanders is Gatorade’s second collegiate athlete, following Paige Bueckers’s signing last year.
Sanders noted, “they [Gatorade] work with legendary athletes, and just being a part of that, it speaks volumes. So, I’m just really excited just to be a part of them.”
