Former Ohio State backup quarterback Lincoln Kienholz has himself a Name, Image and Likeness deal with shoe company Adidas. The news was first reported by On3’s Pete Nikos on the same day it was announced that current Ohio State five-star freshman receiver Chris Henry Jr. inked a deal with competitor Nike.
Ohio State fans will always think rather fondly of Kienholz, even if his time in Columbus never really got going. He came to OSU as a four-star prospect who had almost legendary athletic potential. He showed glimpses of that in a backup role after finishing just shy of winning the starting job at Ohio State that ultimately went to Julian Sayin.
Once the writing was on the wall and Sayin became a bona fide Heisman contender and finalist, Kienholz decided to test the waters and enter the transfer portal after last year, and now he has grabbed the starting quarterback spot at Louisville. As we say, “once a Buckeye, always a Buckeye,” and the same applies here. It’ll be fun to follow the North Dakota native and see how he asserts himself as a Cardinal on Jeff Brohm’s team.
It still feels a little weird reporting on college athletes signing lucrative sponsorship deals, but that’s where we are in today’s game, and we should feel nothing but glee for Kienholz getting what the market says he should for being the face of the Louisville football team.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Former Ohio State QB who transferred out, signs NIL deal with Adidas
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
