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Chomp: Pitts inks $32.9M contract 💰 & NCAA clears way for athlete compensation

Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts (8) makes a catch during an OTA football practice Tuesday, May 25, 2021, in Flowery Branch, Ga. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

This story first appeared in Chomp, our Gators football newsletter. Subscribe here.


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Hello, Gators fans!

We’re talking money this week, as Kyle Pitts signed his rookie deal with the Atlanta Falcons and the NCAA cleared the way for athletes to start earning money based on their name, image and likeness.

We’re also looking toward the future for the Gators football program.


🖋️ Pitts signs rookie contract

Pitts has signed his rookie contract with the Falcons.

The former Florida tight end inked the four-year deal with a fifth-year option on Tuesday. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the $32.9 million contract is fully guaranteed.

Pitts now has the most guaranteed money by an NFL tight end in his current contract, according to PFF’s Brad Spielberger.

Atlanta selected Pitts with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted tight end in NFL history.

The 2020 John Mackey Award winner had 100 catches for 1,492 yards and 18 touchdowns in his three seasons at Florida.


💵 NCAA approves temporary NIL policy

The NCAA Board of Directors on Wednesday approved one of the biggest changes in the history of college athletics, clearing the way for more than 450,000 athletes to earn a form of compensation that has been barred for decades by regulations put in place by the NCAA, conferences, schools or a combination of all of them.

The move came on the eve of legislation becoming law in a dozen states that would allow for that kind of compensation -- including Florida and Georgia.

The NCAA wants to have federal laws or its own rules regarding NIL, the shorthand most commonly used for athlete compensation tied to the use of their name, image or likeness.

It was forced to seek a temporary solution.

The decision effectively suspends NCAA restrictions on payments to athletes for things such as sponsorship deals, online endorsements and personal appearances. The NCAA will also allow athletes to enter into agreements with agents, though athletes are expected to keep their schools informed of any and all NIL arrangements.

The NCAA said the temporary policy addresses “play for pay” and the continued ban on improper inducements tied to choosing a school.

Here’s what NCAA President Mark Emmert had to say about the decision.

Gators Breakdown host David Waters explains the details about NIL and shares his thoughts on what it means for college football and Florida in this episode.

The Associated Press also answered some of these questions about NIL.


🏈 Evers impresses at Elite 11 Finals

Wednesday marked the first day of the 2021 Elite 11 Finals, and Gators commit Nick Evers from Flower Mound, Texas, is among the 20 quarterbacks in the 2022 recruiting class who have gathered in California for the event.

It appears Evers stood out on Wednesday, with Sports Illustrated All-American ranking him fourth among the passers on the first day.

“Evers impressed onlookers in the rail shot competition with a perfect first throw and another solid pass to follow, although it wasn’t enough to push through the end of the challenge according to the coaches,” the article said.

The article also noted that Evers had “some minor placement issues on throws rolling to his left side” and his footwork needs improvement, but it also said he put the ball in a catchable spot a majority of the time and he consistently put zip on his passes.

247Sports also praised Evers for “throwing with consistency and plenty of pop” and said he had “some of the better back-shoulder throws” on day one.


🐊 Gators will rely on many transfers in 2021

The transfer portal has changed the way college coaches build a roster. Since coach Dan Mullen arrived in Gainesville, he has had a lot of success with bringing in contributors through the transfer portal. That will need to continue in 2021.

In another episode of Gators Breakdown, David and Will Miles, with Read and Reaction, break down the more than 10 transfers that Florida will have major contributions from this fall.


🐆 What will Tebow’s role be on Jaguars?

News4Jax sports anchor and reporter Cole Pepper is looking at the biggest questions facing the Jacksonville Jaguars heading into the 2021 season -- including this inquiry that he’s gotten from fans: “Do you think Urban Meyer is going to cut Tim Tebow?”

Cole says: “To be frank, I don’t see it happening.

“Tebow certainly has a long way to go as a tight end. He didn’t look out of place in the offseason practices but did look like a guy who was learning on the job. From a football standpoint, it doesn’t make sense to expect much from Tebow in his first year as a tight end. Perhaps a few plays specially designed for him here or there, but I don’t hear anyone in the organization saying that they are expecting him to be a major contributor.

“As an influencer in the locker room, Tebow could play a bigger role. He understands how Meyer coaches and will have a good grasp of the offensive concepts that Meyer has used in the past.”

Read the rest of Cole’s comments here.


✉️ Send us your Gators thoughts & questions

David and I want to hear from you. Do you have any thoughts or questions about the Gators football program? Agree or disagree with something we’ve said? Let us know here and we’ll share our responses to your questions.


🎙️ Listen to more Gators Breakdown

You can catch up on previous episodes of Gators Breakdown at news4jax.com/gatorsbreakdown. Or click one of the following to tune in: Megaphone | Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Google Podcasts | Stitcher


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