Will Howard got to live the dream of every college prospect last April when he heard his name called by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2025 NFL Draft. What likely wasn’t in his dream, though, was making less money than he did in college.
In a recent piece for The Athletic, Howard told David Ubben that he is making less money with the Steelers than he did at Ohio State. Howard told Ubben that his NIL deal included a Ford Bronco, an apartment, and money that was in the seven-figures. Howard’s current
deal with the Steelers pays him roughly $1.1 million per year.
Howard wasn’t the only 2025 rookie to make this claim. Riley Leonard of the Indianapolis Colts said that he is making less money with the Colts than he did at Notre Dame.
Since the NIL era began, top college stars have been able to make millions of dollars, which is a very good thing and long overdue. It is crazy, however, that when they reach the pinnacle of their chosen profession, many of them are taking initial pay cuts to go from college football to the NFL.
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