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Morning Edition

December 16, 2024

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How far can Travis Hunter push his NFL potential? He captured the Heisman Trophy over the weekend, but his decision on which position to play at the next level will likely define his career—and the thickness of his wallet. We’re breaking down what’s at stake on and off the field for the two-way star.

— David Rumsey [[link removed]] and Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

Heisman Winner Travis Hunter’s NFL Position (and Paycheck) Dilemma [[link removed]]

Todd Van Emst/Heisman Trust via Imagn Images

Newly-crowned Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter has an interesting—and potentially very expensive—dilemma on his hands, as the two-way star from Colorado ends his collegiate career and enters the NFL Draft.

Hunter received college football’s most prestigious award Saturday night, edging runner-up Ashton Jeanty—who rushed for a staggering 2,497 yards at Boise State—by 214 points. It was the closest vote since 2009 [[link removed]] when Alabama’s Mark Ingram II topped Stanford’s Toby Gerhart by just 28 points.

The Colorado star is the first player who starts on defense to win the Heisman since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. This season, Hunter played 1,443 snaps for the Buffaloes—more than 700 each on offense as a receiver and defense as a cornerback. He caught 92 passes for 1,152 yards and 14 touchdowns, while also grabbing four interceptions and 11 passes defended.

Hunter will play in Colorado’s Alamo Bowl matchup against BYU before turning his focus to the NFL Draft, where he is projected to be a top-five pick. While no one disputes Hunter’s talent, the big question for his professional prospects is: What position will he play?

Two-for-One Special?

Throughout his time in college, Hunter has said he wants to play both offense and defense in the NFL. However, the NFL’s longer season and more physical playing style will make that difficult.

“I would prefer that he didn’t [play both],” Woodson told USA Today [[link removed]]. “If I was an NFL team, having a guy as talented as him, I would play him on defense. But I would have some packages for him on offense.”

If Hunter does have to choose one over the other, there’s a big difference in what he could expect to earn that could be a major factor in his decision.

In 2024, the average salary of the five highest-paid wide receivers [[link removed]] is $32.2 million, with Vikings star Justin Jefferson topping the list at $35 million (all figures via Spotrac). That’s more than $10 million above the average salary of the five highest-paid cornerbacks [[link removed]], $21.89 million.

In fact, Texas wideout Nico Collins, who ranks 12th among receivers with a $24.25 million salary this season, will earn more than the highest-paid cornerback, Dolphins defender Jalen Ramsey, at $24.1 million.

The discrepancy for Hunter won’t come into play until his second pro contract, though. Under his rookie deal, Hunter’s pay will be determined by his draft selection, not position. The top pick in the 2025 draft is projected to sign a four-year, $42.2 million contract [[link removed]], while the fifth pick will make $35.43 million over the same time period.

Star Power

While Hunter can look forward to some big paychecks in the NFL, he’s already been cashing in. Since 2022, the star player has signed more than 20 NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals [[link removed]], according to On3.

Last week, Hunter inked a deal with Adidas [[link removed]], adding to other big-name brand deals he already has with United Airlines, Celsius, and NerdWallet, among others.

The Billion-Dollar Player: MLB Nears Unprecedented Contract Milestone [[link removed]]

Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

In just the last 12 months, historic salary thresholds in Major League Baseball have moved from the impossible to the improbable to reality. So it now appears increasingly inevitable that MLB will have a $1 billion player in the sport—and perhaps somewhat soon.

This past week saw the record-setting 15-year deal [[link removed]] between the Mets and free-agent outfielder Juan Soto worth a whopping $765 million. The agreement beat by nearly 10% Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million pact from just a year ago in total value, and at the time, that pact obliterated all prior records. In less than six years, the top end for a player contract has grown by nearly $340 million and about 80%, and it was only in 2012 when an entire MLB team garnered $1 billion on the open market.

What’s more, Mets owner Steve Cohen has professed a clear acceptance of moving well beyond his comfort zone [[link removed]] to acquire top talent—precisely the kind of mindset that an estimated net worth of more than $21 billion enables. Deferred payments embraced by many teams, particularly the Dodgers [[link removed]], also help with the rise in compensation.

“If you want something amazing, it’s going to be uncomfortable. It’s never going to be comfortable,” Cohen said. “So I always stretch [financially].”

As a result, chatter inside the game is quickly growing [[link removed]] and a $1 billion player deal is poised to arrive in the not-too-distant future. Such talk is rising in the NBA [[link removed]], too, where top-end deals for basketball’s megastars are also growing at an accelerating rate.

Who Can It Be Now?

As the parlor game begins over who and when gets MLB’s first $1 billion deal, there is perhaps a meaningful clue on the timing. Commissioner Rob Manfred is looking to fundamentally retool the league’s media strategy [[link removed]] to have a broad batch of both national and local rights available in 2028 when current deals with ESPN, Fox, and TNT Sports expire. Once that is resolved, team owners will have better clarity on future revenues.

By that point, MLB will also have gone through another round of labor negotiations with the MLB Players Association, and a clearer road map should also exist on the sport’s economic framework for at least the back end of this decade. Given the salary escalation just in the last year, though, some owners also may not want to wait on those developments—just as Cohen clearly didn’t in a deal with Soto stretching through 2039.

On the player front, there is a growing crop of young stars not yet eligible for free agency that will almost certainly command big dollars once they do get the ability to select their next team, and perhaps could be the first to get a $1 billion contract. Among them are Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz, Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, and Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

None of those players, however, had the career head start that Soto did, who reached the big leagues at 19 and became a free agent just days after his 26th birthday—earlier than nearly all other MLB players.

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Read the full article [[link removed]].

ONE BIG FIG Who Will Turn the Jets Around?

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

14

The number of seasons since the Jets last made the playoffs, which is the longest current drought among NFL teams. Back in 2010 [[link removed]], New York upset the Patriots in the divisional round and advanced to a second straight AFC title game with Mark Sanchez at quarterback and Rex Ryan as head coach.

The Jets, who rallied past the Jaguars on Sunday and improved to 4-10, parted ways with GM Joe Douglas on Nov. 19, six weeks after firing head coach Robert Saleh. They’ve already been eliminated from playoff contention [[link removed]].

According to multiple [[link removed]] reports [[link removed]] over the weekend, the Jets are set to interview former Titans GM Jon Robinson and ESPN analyst Louis Riddick for the vacant GM position. Former GMs Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman are leading the search as part of The 33rd Team—a group of NFL executives, coaches, and players that provides data analysis and expertise—which is assisting the Jets.

In a strange twist, Bill Belichick, who left the Jets in 2000 and spent two decades as head coach of the Patriots, recently reached out [[link removed]] to inquire about New York’s head-coaching vacancy, according to reports from ESPN and The Athletic. Despite making critical remarks about owner Woody Johnson in the past, Belichick’s representatives contacted the Jets, though no formal discussions took place. Belichick was named head coach at North Carolina [[link removed]] last Monday night.

STATUS REPORT Three Up, One Push

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Bill Belichick ⬆ North Carolina’s four-star quarterback recruit Bryce Baker has affirmed his commitment to the Tar Heels [[link removed]] following a conversation with the football program’s new coach, who made the shocking move to college football last week [[link removed]]. Belichick and Baker attended UNC’s men’s basketball game against La Salle on Saturday.

Navy ⬆ The service academy defeated Army for the first time since 2021 on Saturday, and also won its 17th Commander in Chief Trophy, due to its previous win this season over Air Force. It was the first Army-Navy game in seven years with each holding winning records [[link removed]]. Ahead of the 125th meeting Saturday, Front Office Sports went behind the scenes [[link removed]] of the secretive process around creating the matchup’s uniforms.

Bucks and Thunder ⬆ The teams will face off in the Emirates NBA Cup final Tuesday night in Las Vegas. In Saturday night’s semifinals, Milwaukee defeated the Hawks and Oklahoma City beat the Rockers. Players on the champion team will receive $514,970 each [[link removed]].

Browns ⬆⬇ Cleveland dropped to 3-11 on the season after Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs. Despite the team’s struggles, CBS Sports reported Saturday that quarterback Deshaun Watson, coach Kevin Stefanski, and GM Andrew Berry will all return next season [[link removed]].

FRONT OFFICE SPORTS EVENTS

From the Fairway to the Final Play

As the Big Game takes to the Big Easy this February, Front Office Sports and Excel Sports Management are partnering to gather the biggest names in sports, entertainment, and media for an unforgettable day out on the golf course on Friday, Feb. 7.

Excel Sports Management, the creators of “The Match” and The Netflix Cup, and Front Office Sports, will cohost The Breakfast Ball [[link removed]]—an ultra-high-end Celebrity Pro-Am golf tournament that will be a can’t-miss event for companies and brands looking to entertain in the lead-up to the game.

Learn more [[link removed]] about partnership opportunities or how to get involved.

Conversation Starters YouTube TV is raising its prices ahead of the NFL playoffs beginning next month. Check out [[link removed]] how much the rates are going up. ESPN celebrated Travis Hunter’s dual offensive and defensive talents in paying tribute to his Heisman Trophy win. Take a look [[link removed]]. Former NFL quarterback Teddy Bridgewater led his high school alma mater’s football team to a state championship over the weekend [[link removed]]. Editors’ Picks Portal-Depleted Marshall Bows Out of Independence Bowl [[link removed]]by Jeff Benson [[link removed]]Louisiana Tech (5–7) will take Marshall’s place. Steve Cohen Says Mets Ticket Sales ‘Exploded’ From Soto Signing [[link removed]]by Daniel Roberts [[link removed]]The Mets were 18th in MLB attendance this past season, Cohen said. Biden Commutes Miami Booster’s Ponzi Scheme Sentence [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Nevin Shapiro gave Miami athletics millions of dollars in the early 2000s. Question of the Day

What position do you think Travis Hunter will play in the NFL?

Cornerback [[link removed]] Wide receiver [[link removed]] Both [[link removed]]

Friday’s result: 73% of respondents think Bill Belichick will appear on media platforms during his time as UNC coach to promote the program and appeal to recruits.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]]

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