We knew this was coming. I predicted it long ago and mentioned it last week. Free agency in college football is a way of life and we will have star players entering the transfer portal without a coach change and for no other reason than to drive their Name, Image and Likeness value up. That’s what could be happening with Pitt wide receiver Jordan Addison.
Last year’s Biletnikoff winner, Addison has been rumored to be thinking of entering the transfer portal with a contingent deal with USC on the table. This is all sorts of wrong when looking at potential tampering and how boosters and teams aren’t supposed to be involved in this process, but from a NIL standpoint — have at it son.
Farrell: Jordan Addison’s Departure Has to Be About Money
Addison had 100 catches for 1,593 yards and 17 touchdowns last season and is my No. 2 receiver behind Jaxon Smith-Njigba for next season. Pitt is a fine school but not a great college football market. Neither is LA, but LA comes with so much else when it comes to money opportunities.
Part of me hopes this isn’t true. I like the parity of talent in some respects of college football. I like Pitt, a middling program amongst the powers in college football, boasting one of the best players in college football. This could change things. QB Caleb Williams jumped into the portal after a very promising freshman season at Oklahoma and that was considered a free agency move. But his coach left and he followed him. He had a reason. There is no other reason for Addison than money. His NFL Draft status will be as high as ever if he stays at Pitt, he’s just that talented. And he has never appeared to be unhappy.
We knew this would happen and it will happen more. Addison’s status is still up in the air but the new NCAA president has to look at this situation if it happens and determine if this is good for college football. It’s great for Addison, but college football will suffer. And that’s never good.
For more all-around college football coverage, check out Farrell’s reporting at @mfarrellsports on Twitter.
The NCAA will do very little. At best, this particular transfer will go through and changes will be made prospectively. At worst, everything will be deemed copacetic and Pitt will be seen as poor losers. NIL-baby ! Welcome to the new world of athletics.
Goodbye Jordan. He is making a mistake. Regarding NIL and endorsements, Addison is making a short term play. He will get his 2 million (1.2 after taxes and legal fees). Next year, tinsel-town will be paying the next golden boy and Addison will be forgotten. He could stay at Pitt, become Pitt folklore and have a permanent sports endorsement in Pittsburgh paying him 250k to 400k for the next 10 years. The Pittsburgh market is loyal to their heroes. He is also risking his NFL draft status. He will not put up the numbers at USC and he will at… Read more »
Yeah he will only get 2 mil. And no one at Pitt will ante up for that amount!!! But being in Pitt folklore sounds. way better than 2 million up front s as and also to play in a big market within national title implications! Shame on him. You do sound like a loser! Yeah I would like to see what you Hippocrates would do in the same position!
Well said Joe
Pitt folklore?
Joe, no need for personal insults. I happen to be someone who believes in following the rules. For some reason, people today honor those who break rules (such as Addison). It is a problem in our society. No accountability for law breakers or rule breakers. Those who follow rules are called losers.
dude, you know that pitt ie donald/fitz etc came up with the money right
You are joking right?
I’m sure he won’t put up any numbers in a Lincoln Riley offense with multiple stars surrounding him.
We have their sloppy seconds as a QB! Pac12 way more lucrative and than ACC football. USC a storied program! Duh!
Lot’s of stars, one ball.
NCAA brought this on with the one year free transfer crap. If a player had to sit for a year Williams might have stayed and Addison absolutely would have stayed since he’s gone after this year. Too many loopholes as well. If you want to transfer closer to home due to a grandmothers health, too bad. Sit out the year and take care of her.
Pay the man to stay. If USC is only offering $2M it would be well worth it for the best receiver in NCAA. That’s not an insurmountable number for donors and others to scratch together and Pitt will get that back and then some with on-field results. I wouldn’t bet on the NCAA to do anything, so pay him and then go fight for the transfer/NIL change.
Well… Just like MLB, I will stop watching if this doesn’t get addressed. Learn from the NFL and do it right!
How is this ANYTHING like MLB?
In MLB, you have a contract and get compensation for talent that you lose. This is nothing like what goes on in any professional sport.
If you want to argue that there is no salary cap or floor, then OK. But it’s not applicable in this situation.
You will eventually have about 5 teams that will get 90% of the best players. Just like MLB, stealing from the lower market teams – even if when they develop a diamond from the rough. So that is exactly how it could be similar to MLB.
Stealing? How are MLB teams STEALING? Players have contracts. Teams can trade players and get free market compensation for them. But in this situation Pitt gets NOTHING after developing a player. If you want to have a discussion about how MLB needs a better revenue sharing model, salary caps, or have a league set up more like the NFL, then we can do that. But this is simply players moving from team to team with no rules, no oversight, nothing. This is much worse if an environment than MLB. MLB doesn’t allow tampering. Addison isn’t even in the portal yet.… Read more »
I don’t know why you are soooo argumentative! I think we agree this is terrible, and potentially worse than MLB. I was just comparing it to MLB’s “have and have nots”. It’s stupid to pretend the small market teams have a chance in MLB; where one player is often making as much as an entire team’s payroll. The universities/teams with the biggest boosters will “steal/buy/lure” players away, similar (but not exactly) to MLB paying more from a teams best player.
Pyramid Scheme, it will be alright. PITT gets Group of 5 dudes and the Top tier gets PITT standouts. When you can barely get 45,000 in a 68,000 Stadium the bright Lights of the SEC and B10 will come Calling. UTK in Knoxville was not packed for PITT game Last Year as PITT is not a Draw. Outside of 7-Year stretch in late 70s early 80s PITT has been non-relevant. PITT is more fit for the AAC then ACC, City School.
“Jordan Addison’s Departure Has to Be About Money”
In other news, water is wet.
lmao
Get outta Pitt! I love it! Let’s Go Eers!
They wanted and took Kedon Slovis from USC
Riley is up to his neck in this deal.
Tampering needs to be investigated. Addison not even in the portal.
If this is true, this will affect who drafts him and where. The NFL Teams look at character. You won’t be a first choice when it comes time to pick the top players. You reap what you sow
It won’t change his status one bit. NFL understands the NIL and transfer role in football now. This isn’t him getting into a domestic or a drug/gun charge. This is a kid taking control of his future to play at a historic program with an offensive genius and an out of this world quarterback. if anything it well help his status as he’s going to put up monster numbers.
Why is he breaking NCAA portal rules by talking to other programs about a deal without being in the portal first. Addison is a selfish minded cheater.
They will not do a thing about it… they gave in to the Corrupt world of college sports….
One thing no one has mentioned is that Addison should have been in this draft and would have gone in the 1st or 2nd round. The only thing that prevented that was the arbitrary rule that requires a player to be out of high school 3 years to be eligible for the NFL draft. He should have been able to leave Pitt as an all time great and Belitnakof winner after his sophomore season. Both Larry Fitzgerald and Shady McCoy left Pitt after their sophomore seasons because both had a prep year between high school and Pitt. In a fair… Read more »
excellent post! NFL careers are short. The system is set up for movements like this in 2022. Addison is looking out for his future and Riley is an easy choice from an offensive and WR development. He’s going to put up crazy numbers in that offense in a league that plays no defense.
Why did Addison talk to USC or boosters of USC before being in the transfer pool? He could have made this money (and more) honestly. Instead he demonstrates that he a dishonest cheat.
Bottom line for me is that Addison and Lincoln Riley are cheaters. Addison could have entered the portal and done this within rules. Instead he breaks the rules. He has a selfish and criminal mindset.
Unfortunately in todays world, people who break rules are treated like victims. People who follow rules are treated like they are losers.