No. 3 Seed Texas Longhorns Wide Receiver Adonai Mitchell on New NIL Landscape: ‘Now, I’m able to Take Care of my Daughter’

Texas Longhorns wide receiver Adonai Mitchell gave praise to players of the past, and he explained why he appreciates the new NIL landscape of college football during College Football Playoff media day.

In an era where some want to knock NIL opportunities for college athletes, I found AD Mitchell’s answer on the topic enlightening.

“Players gave their blood, sweat and tears for free…Now, I’m able to take care of my daughter and pay for daycare every week.” pic.twitter.com/0vV2dbAVS4

— Eric Henry (@EricCHenry_) December 29, 2023

Mitchell already won two championships with the Georgia Bulldogs, and is looking for his third in a row with the Texas Longhorns. Mitchell brings College Football Playoff experience to the Longhorns as they look to take on the Washington Huskies in the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day.

Mitchell went on to exclaim his appreciation for the fact that he is able to buy nice Christmas gifts for his daughter.

Adonai also talked about being able to buy his 2-year-old daughter nice Christmas and birthday gifts. What did he get Icylinn for Christmas?

“I got her a (play) kitchen. That’s her favorite thing. I’ll call her and she’s like, I’m making carrots. Girl, you can’t make carrots.” https://t.co/uDjWblfmu7

— Danny Davis (@_dannydavis) December 29, 2023

Mitchell is a junior and has not declared anything regarding his future, but as it stands right now NFL Draft Buzz has Mitchell as a late first-round pick. Even though Mitchell isn’t the No. 1 receiver for the Longhorns, he has a good opportunity to be compensated for his play after he moves on from college football. Other players in his position may not have been so lucky.

Legendary Texas Longhorns were never legally compensated for their play

Texas Longhorns players that were in the same shoes Mitchell is in now were not compensated for their “blood, sweat and tears.” some of these players are players that contributed to what is widely considered the greatest college football game of all time, the 2005-2006 Rose Bowl vs. the USC Trojans.

A specific player on that team that is very similar to Mitchell is former Longhorn wide receiver Billy Pittman. Pittman, like everyone else on the 2005 team, went down in Texas history as a legend. Pittman, like Mitchell is with wide receiver Xavier Worthy, was part of a one-two punch for the Longhorns at the WR position with Limas Sweed. Texas fans still reminisce on what Pittman did as a Longhorn to this day.

17yrs ago today @VinceYoung10
To Billy Pittman 🤘🏻📽 @TexasFootball pic.twitter.com/NdSQS6JWyI

— Chris Bennett (CB) (@chrisgb002000) October 9, 2022

Vince Young to Billy Pittman for a 27 yard TD against Oklahoma
Oct 8, 2005#HookEm pic.twitter.com/P8L43H7IE5

— Longhorn🤘Highlights (@LonghornClips) October 5, 2023

IT Photo of the Day: Texas-Ex Billy Pittman. (@studiogallagher) #HookEm #RRS pic.twitter.com/DErGCAlQm9

— Inside Texas (@InsideTexas) October 9, 2019

Pittman had 750 yards receiving in 2005, and Mitchell has just 63 yards more this season. Pittman went through a lot as a Longhorn to be recognized in the way he is, including a battle with Bell’s Palsy.

Pittman sat out the entire 2004 season with a shoulder injury and a leg injury on top of the Bell’s Palsy diagnosis. A 2006 Sports Illustrated article outlines what Pittman went through.

“It started with a simple twitch. Billy Pittman woke up one spring morning two years ago to find his eye was twitching, and it wouldn’t stop. Eye drops, a splash of water to the face — no help. He went back to bed that afternoon, woke up, and now noticed his nostril wasn’t moving. By the next morning, he couldn’t feel the left side of his face.” Sports Illustrated writer Stewart Mandell said.

Pittman exemplifies the “blood, sweat and tears” that Mitchell referenced in his quote, yet he did everything for just a college degree. Pittman was even suspended for three games in 2007 for an “infringement of amateurism rules.”

Pittman drove his friend’s car for a summer, and this was determined to be an “improper benefit” in the eyes of the NCAA. This is a far cry from the NIL deals of today that are worth millions of dollars. With the intense schedule of a Division I college football player, working to provide for a family in Pittman’s situation was nearly impossible.

Pittman’s football ability never garnered much of a reward. He was on the Los Angeles Chargers practice squad, but was cut before he made it down to the 53-man roster. The only thing Pittman has to show for everything he fought through as a Texas Longhorn is a college degree and the adoration of Longhorn fans everywhere.

Although the adoration of Texas fans can’t put food on the table, a college degree is supposed to help. Despite being college educated, Pittman was sentenced to six years in prison on Aug. 5, 2022. Pittman plead guilty to a Motion to Revoke Probation, which originally came about as a result of third-degree felony Bail Jumping (Failure to appear).

Pittman’s tragic story ends up with him in jail. It is impossible to tell where Pittman would be if he had the same opportunities that players like Mitchell have today.

College Athletes like Texas Longhorns receivers Adonai Mitchell and Billy Pittman are responsible for millions of dollars in profit

When Pittman helped the Longhorns to a win in the Rose Bowl, the event was viewed by 35.6 million people. The payout for the game was nearly $15 million. Despite being one of the people that was responsible for the actual product, Pittman got nothing. That doesn’t even consider the nearly 100,000 fans in attendance, who all had to buy tickets to the game.

The Big 12 now has a $2.6 billion T.V. deal. The SEC, where Texas is headed, has a $6 billion deal. This money is only being paid to the conferences because of the high-level product that is being put out on the field.

Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Tyler Shough explained why he thinks NIL is good for college football players in a Sports Business Journal article.

“It feels like now we can be recognized as people and not just athletes in a jersey. We really do have a lot more to offer,” Shough said.

Not every college football player will have the ability to make money based on their talent in the NFL. NIL gives players like Pittman the chance to avoid the pitfalls of life after football.

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