Will Howard was the starting quarterback for Kansas State football from 2020-23. At the time, Name, Image and Likeness was still in its early stages. Looking back on his time at Kansas State in a recent report by The Athletic, Howard spoke about his compensation, and not favorably.
Former Kansas State QB Will Howard shares insight on the reality of Name, Image and Likeness
According to Howard, he felt that Kansas State took advantage of him. Not in any traditional sense, but because he ended up splitting time with then-backup Avery Johnson. In total, he started over 20 games for the Wildcats. His later seasons, Howard claimed that his backup was compensated higher.
He also talked on what went into landing Name, Image and Likeness deals, stating that very littke came from Kansas State's collective. The majority of his compensation came from local businesses.
"Everything I did was on my own," Howard said. "It's different when you go to a school and you're the guy getting money. It's amazing how different you're treated. It was the best decision I ever made."
For those unfamiliar, he's is eluding to the season he spent with the Ohio State Buckeyes. That year, he was on top of the college football world, winning the National Championship after spending just one season in the Big 10.
In total with the Buckeyes, Howard threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns. That includes 10 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 175.3. Compare that to his career numbers with the Wildcats, Howard threw for 5,786 yards across three seasons.
In total, 69.3% of his total career yardage came during his final season. It definitely came easier with the likes of his receiving core, including Jeremiah Smith. He wasn't the only one, but definitely one of the most significant names slated to return to the Buckeyes in 2026.
Howard's reported income compared to NFL Rookie contract
Earlier reports by the Topeka Capital-Journal reported Howard's income as just under $900,000 his rookie year with the Steelers. For comparison, he was drafted in the sixth round in 2025. His estimated NIL valuation in 2023 sat between $1.5 and $2 million.
Yes, you read that right. Howard was previously valued higher in college than he signed for entering his rookie season in the NFL. He's not the only one, either. Another quarterback interviewed by The Athletic, Notre Dame's Riley Leonard, is in the same boat.
Similarly, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is expected to make north of $5 million with another year of eligibility. It almost makes you wonder, how much benefit is there to spending time in the classroom? At least to Leonard, there's still a considerable advantage.
"I learned by having money and dealing with it," Leonard said. "I'm a huge advocate for school and stuff, but I don't remember too much of what I learned in the classroom."
Again, Howard was drafted in the sixth round. It's not a direct comparison to the reported payouts to the likes of first round quarterbacks like Cam Ward or Jaxson Dart.
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