Oklahoma LB Danny Stutsman Donates NIL Money to Walk-On Teammates

The Sooners' senior linebacker is up for several national awards and has become the face of the program, but he took took his leadership efforts to a new level this week.

Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman's pregame speech against Texas / Screenshot via OU Athletics

Danny Stutsman has been looking for ways he can become a better leader on the Oklahoma football team.

From his play on the field to his speeches in the locker room, the Sooners’ senior linebacker has become the face of the program.

But now Stutsman has even outdone himself.

On Wednesday, OU and Stutsman made an announcement that shook the team to its core — in a good way.

He’s donating a portion of his own profits from his name, image and likeness proceeds to the OU walk-ons.

These guys are the backbone of our program, extremely blessed to be able to give back to them!!💪🙏 https://t.co/dIO0jck4j3

— Danny Stutsman (@FbStutsman) August 29, 2024

“Obviously there's days where you feel like your hard work doesn't get seen, doesn't get noticed,” Stutsman said in the Sooners' social media post. “But it really does here at Oklahoma. Every single day, we appreciate you guys. This team would be nothing without you guys. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I truly do mean that.

“I feel like I have a really good connection with all of you guys. I just know how much you put into this program. …And sometimes you think it’s not seen, but it is. So with that being said, I want to donate some of my NIL earnings to you guys so you guys can have a little something else. After the meetings, this will be in your lockers.”

Stutsman, a senior from Windermere, FL, has compiled 239 tackles over his two seasons as a starter. He was voted team captain this week, is a first-team All-SEC pick and a second-team All-American. He's a leading contender for the Butkus Award as the best linebacker in college football and has landed on several other preseason watch lists, including two for national defensive player of the year (Bednarik and Nagurski), one for top interior player (Lombardi) and one for national player of the year (Camp). 

Stutsman’s NIL earnings have been prodigious. Just this week he appeared in a new video spot with Oklahoma State linebacker Nick Martin for Schwab Meats.

His biggest earner may have been from T-shirt sales after his infamous pregame speech before the Sooners upset Texas last year, when he declared, “I'm certain about two things in life: one, that Oklahoma only fears God, and number two, that Texas fears Oklahoma.”

Opolis brand immediately began churning out thousands of shirts depicting Stutsman smoking a postgame victory cigar on the front and his epic speech on the back.

They know. We know. The whole world knows. #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/0y2MhJJ1XH

— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 11, 2023

Stutsman said in July at SEC Media Days that he had focused his offseason efforts on improving his game in small increments, but was also intent on growing as a leader for his team.

"Every single day I wake up, there's days when I don't have the most energy myself but I know I have to be that vocal leader," Stutsman said. "Wo I have to force myself to lead these other guys because the day I don't show up is the day that we get worse. So I have to wake up with the same attitude, same confidence, and just be consistent every single day so that the teammates around me can feed off of that. I think Coach (Brent) Venables does an amazing job of instilling that in me, and you see the same guy every single day.”

The No. 16-ranked Sooners open the season on Friday night with a home game against Temple. OU is a 43-point favorite as they embark on their first season in the Southeastern Conference.