Jacob Cowing’s NIL success links athletic ability, family and fatherhood: ‘A great blessing’

While at UTEP, the focus was to play ball and make it to the NFL. Heading home meant balancing life as a student-athlete, as well as a father, and with that came another obstacle Cowing had yet to face: Name, image and likeness.

“Developing my brand wasn’t something I really thought about until I came to Arizona,” Cowing said. “Before that, I had tunnel vision on performing at my best on the field. Once I arrived on campus at the U of A, I really saw the importance of branding and marketing yourself as a potential spokesperson or model. It was part of my education on NIL at Arizona.”

For Cowing, NIL had an even greater meaning because of Chase. The opportunity to utilize NIL to support his son was instrumental to his parenting ability.

“Anyone who has a child knows that raising them is not cheap,” Cowing noted. 

Cowing’s first NIL opportunity came in the form of community engagement with the Boys and Girls Club through Arizona’s collective, Friends of Wilbur and Wilma. Cowing said he recognized the connection he had with the opportunity both as a former member of the Boys and Girls Club growing up, as well as a father.

“Meeting those young kids in the community was a special moment for me,” Cowing said. “I grew up as part of the Boys and Girls Club as a child, and it was very cool to be involved with them again. It was great to be able to meet kids who may be going through some of the same challenges I had when I was younger, and to be a role model type of figure in their lives because we share that connection meant a lot to me.”

Well adjusted to life in Tucson thanks to Arizona’s EDGE NIL program, designed to provide financial literacy and personal branding, Cowing said NIL has become a game changer not only for his son, but as a member of the community.

“NIL has been able to allow me to provide for my son, whether it be food, diapers, clothes or anything else he needs. That security for me as a father, through NIL, has been a great blessing in my life,” Cowing said.

“I see the city of Tucson as just one big family,” Cowing added. “The Wildcats are the only team in the city, and the more student-athletes can engage with the community, the more support we can get at games. It’s really important for fans to meet you and hear your story to build those relationships and network. It’s also really important that we know the stories of those who support us.”

The power of family.