LOS ANGELES — Tyler Shough all the time wished a Joe Montana jersey. Rising up in Chandler, Ariz., Shough eyed the legendary NFL quarterback’s No. 16 hanging over his uncle’s mantle.
To his shock, the New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback acquired a video message from Montana throughout a Fanatics branding photograph shoot on the NFLPA Rookie Premiere occasion over the weekend. Then he discovered a signed Montana jersey hiding beneath his seat.
“That was a surreal second,” Shough instructed FOX Sports activities. “I heard about it beforehand as a result of I used to be in one of many later teams. They offer you a jersey from somebody within the league, and I used to be like, ‘That’s going to be candy.’
“So I used to be anticipating a present participant or whoever. However then Joe Montana, oh my gosh.”
Shough was one in every of 42 gamers invited to the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere this 12 months. What began as a buying and selling card photograph shoot in 1994 has grown into the NFL Gamers Affiliation internet hosting an annual occasion for the highest marketable rookies, connecting them with enterprise alternatives and companions created by the league’s union.
The 2025 occasion included interactions with model sponsors akin to buying and selling card firm Panini America, Fanatics, Nike, EA Sports activities and EXOS coaching facility. Fanatics hosted a jersey reveal on the rooftop flooring of the InterContinental lodge in downtown Los Angeles. The gamers additionally participated in a photograph shoot in full uniform at Cal Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks.
To open the weekend, present and former NFL gamers — together with Torry Holt, Sam Acho, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Equanimeous St. Brown and George Hegamin — mentored the rookies on the pitfalls to keep away from coming into the league and how one can get essentially the most out of their expertise. Holt, a five-time Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame finalist and model ambassador for Panini, stored it easy.
“Clearly No. 1, make the most of the alternatives which are in entrance of you, for certain,” Holt instructed FOX Sports activities. “But in addition be sure you maintain soccer first, as a result of that’s going to generate alternatives off the sphere with the Paninis and others by doing what you’re imagined to do on the sphere.
“After which know your project. That’s a part of doing all of your job. That’s a part of creating alternatives like this. After which have enjoyable. Actually, take pleasure in being in your setting in an effort to be a very good teammate. Take pleasure in being round your teammates, after which all the pieces else will maintain itself.”
As a result of these gamers are from one of many first lessons to reach within the NIL period, many have already made thousands and thousands in endorsements and sponsorships, in order that they have a head begin in understanding the monetary points of the sport and how one can construct their model.
“What’s completely different is that they’ve already engaged with sponsors earlier than,” mentioned Matt Curtin, president of NFL Gamers Inc., a for-profit advertising and marketing and licensing arm of the NFLPA. “A variety of them have achieved it within the context of a collective. They’ve already acquired royalties from the sale of their jerseys normally. More and more, due to the return of the school recreation, they’ve appeared in a online game already.
“These issues used to occur for the primary time as soon as they arrived right here. One other factor that has modified is … this [used to be] the primary time they obtained paid. So all the pieces was new, and the economics of it have been rather more compelling and thrilling. What’s not completely different is you’re solely a rookie as soon as. And for lots of those merchandise, the rookies generate numerous pleasure. Rookie jerseys promote extra on common than different jerseys as a result of it’s the primary time you’ll be able to go purchase it, and individuals are excited to purchase it.”
Shough spent six years in faculty at three faculties — Oregon, Texas Tech and Louisville — so he has loads of expertise within the NIL world. However for the 25-year-old, the NFLPA occasion offered a possibility to community and get to know different gamers in his draft class.
“I feel for me, the very best half is simply seeing all people,” Shough mentioned. “Seeing all these new faces, rekindling with outdated, acquainted faces. Getting to fulfill new manufacturers. It’s been continuous motion. It’s type of been like a theme park nearly. It’s been actually enjoyable to hang around with all people.”
Fanatics held content material shoots over the weekend, together with a locker room scene the place rookies mentioned their journey to the league and acquired these shock video messages from NFL legends they seemed as much as as children.
The idea is the brainchild of Adam Lock, vp and inventive director for Fanatics. Lock mentioned he wished to point out that gamers are followers too, identical to everybody else. New York Giants working again Cam Skattebo obtained teary-eyed after receiving some phrases of knowledge and a signed jersey from one in every of his idols, former Tennessee Titans star working again Eddie George.
On the jersey reveal, gamers anxiously waited behind ropes in entrance of a black curtain, with hip-hop beats bumping within the background. As soon as the curtain dropped, gamers and their households hurriedly moved in to see the jerseys for the primary time, like enthusiastic children unwrapping presents from beneath the Christmas tree.
“It’s simply particular to acknowledge all those that helped me get right here,” Giants first-round choose Jaxson Dart instructed FOX Sports activities. “I obtained my household, obtained my dad and mom right here. It’s a surreal feeling to see [my jersey] for the primary time. It’s tremendous sick.”
Curtin beforehand labored on Wall Avenue for 26 years, the place he developed a relationship with NFLPA Government Director Lloyd Howell Jr. For the union, the weekend is a chance to offer gamers an inside take a look at how the enterprise works.
“We wish the gamers to have a very good expertise,” Curtin instructed FOX Sports activities. “Finally, although, we have now $350 million in participant income in Gamers Inc. Most of that goes again to the gamers, and a few of it funds the union.
“However why we in the end exist is the league does over $20 billion in income. Via the collective bargaining efforts of our predecessors, the gamers get 48.4% of that. … However one of many issues I’ve impressed upon them is, ‘Look, this assortment of 42 guys won’t ever be in the identical room once more. So get to know each other — the camaraderie and brotherhood of that — and spending time collectively.”
For Shough and different rookies, they’ve already obtained a bounce begin on branding themselves. Now it’s simply constructing on that course of.
“There’s extra of a base data by way of what to anticipate, which helps,” Shough mentioned. “You’ve had interactions with individuals already. It’s actually ready guys for what it appears like on the subsequent degree.”
And for the 42 gamers who attended the Rookie Premiere occasion, the following degree is right here.
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, overlaying the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on X at @eric_d_williams.
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