Name Image Likeness

Miami Heisman Hopeful Lands Major Sneaker NIL Deal

Hurricanes' star Ward joins Mahomes, Rodgers, Purdy on adidas roster

Michael Ehrlich

Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) gestures after defeating the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
Oct 5, 2024; Berkeley, California, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) gestures after defeating the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
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University of Miami quarterback Cam Ward has taken South Beach by storm in his first season as a Hurricane. The Washington State transfer not only has leveled up his game on the field, but diversified his NIL portfolio in new ways off the turf. After a 319 yard, four touchdown performance in a 52-45 win against Louisville over the weekend, Ward has announced a major brand partner.

adidas - who also sponsors the Hurricanes - had added Ward to their growing NIL roster. The nation's leader in passing yards (2,538) and touchdowns (24) joins the brand's impressive quarterback lineage that includes the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, Trevor Lawrence and Michael Penix Jr.

“My journey has been marked by a belief in the legacy I’m building for myself," Ward said. "I’ve faced adversity to get where I am today but it’s only fueled my drive to prove I’m the elite competitor I've always known I was. It's an honor to partner with a brand that sees that drive and supports me as I help build the legacy adidas football is creating.” 

A top Heisman Trophy candidate, Ward has led the Hurricanes to a 7-0 start and a No. 6 ranking, while currently second in the nation in passing efficiency rating at 183.5. His NIL portfolio includes Bose headphones, C4 Energy and the Canes Connection collective, among others.

Ward will continue to wear adidas' franchise cleat on the field and now appear in a variety of marketing campaigns for the brand. adidas teased the upcoming partnership with Ward via multiple Instagram posts this week.

A season ago, adidas made then-Washington duo - now NFL rookies - Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze the brand’s first football student-athletes partners.

Ward and the Hurricanes continue their quest for first conference title since 2017 and first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff, next hosting arch-rival Florida State on October 26 at 7PM ET.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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