Former Texas football standout issues blunt warning to players focused on NIL

Former Texas Longhorn, College Football Hall of Famer and 14-year NFL veteran Derrick Johnson is convinced that Name, Image and Likeness money can impact the locker room in a negative way if players aren't careful.

Johnson likley would have been one of the most valued players in college football if NIL opportunities were available during his standout career.

The Waco, Texas, native was a two-time All-American and the Big 12's Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, the same year in which he earned the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Dick Butkus awards.

Johnson sits first all-time in tackles for loss and third all-time in career tackles among Texas defenders.

After becoming a first-round pick in 2005 and spending the next 14 years in the NFL, Johnson returned to Texas to complete his degree in Community and Youth Studies before delivering the school's commencement speech in 2024.

College sports has changed drastically since Johnson took the field in Austin, and the Longhorns are among the biggest spenders in the NIL space.

"I think schools have been riding the coattails of the athletes for a long time and, respectively, that was how the structure was set up," Johnson told the Chron's Leah Vann. "It is what it is. I made the school a lot of money, which is no regret at all. They gave me a free education, and I appreciated it at that time. It's different times." 

NIL funds aren't evenly distributed. Stars can demand millions per year while rotational players and backups are making considerably less. That reality, according to Johnson, can create a clog in the locker room if players don't think professionally.

"I'm sure it does (impact the locker room dynamic) because they're not versed and mature enough to take their feelings out of it," Johnson said. "These are professional athletes, 18 or not, they're professional athletes... Some guys are getting a lot more than others and they shouldn't be because a guy's like, 'Man, I'm only getting $100,000 and then this guy's getting $800,000, and I'm better than this person.'"

"If you're really that good, don't count people's money. That's something that I learned in the NFL," Johnson said.

Johnson urged players to take a long-term approach in their college careers. While NIL packages can provide a kick start to generational wealth, the path as a professional can be more rewarding.

"'What am I doing to make myself a better football player?'" Johnson said. "If you've got a nice highlight, if you're making a little money. That's the highlight. That's not the cake."