A left tackle can make $4M in college football, not the NFL. Is this pay for play?

Left tackle Dan Moore of the Tennessee Titans can list all the sponsorship deals he has done as a pro on one hand: A few meet and greet opportunities when he was with the Steelers, a grill firm that provided him some.

Key points

• "It's only been five years since NIL started, " remarked Moore, who heads into his sixth year in the NFL this season.
• And that, in short, is the not-so-hidden secret driving a new era in college sports.
• No such thing, especially for someone playing his position.

What happened

Million-dollar deals? No such thing, especially for someone playing his position. If he were in college – a talented offensive lineman with a chance to create his team a national contender – that might be different.

"It's only been five years since NIL started, " remarked Moore, who heads into his sixth year in the NFL this season. "Another five years, and we could see college football becoming semi-pro."

And that, in short, is the not-so-hidden secret driving a new era in college sports. It is a business rebuilt to allow players to cash in on their name, image and likeness fame, one that pays exorbitant rates to athletes under the guise that the capital isn't a salary, but rather a payment for services the athletes provide through sponsorship deals.

The bottom line

For now, a left tackle can make $4M in college football, not the NFL. Remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.