Quinn Ewers declared for the 2025 NFL Draft on Wednesday, Jan. 15. This move came after a month of speculation regarding his football future.
Rumors swirled about a return for one more season, but the quarterback had already envisioned his place in the NFL and has reportedly turned down a whopping $8 million offer to enter the transfer portal. He led the Texas Longhorns to the College Football Playoff semifinal and almost punched a national championship ticket before Ohio State snatched the game from coach Steve Sarkisian and Ewers.
Quinn Ewers’ Decision To Turn Down $8 Million Offer Draws Wild Reactions
According to Chip Brown of Horns247, part of 247Sports, the Texas QB had an $8 million offer from another college program but refused to give it a shot. It is indeed an eye-catching decision because Ewers would be earning significantly more than his rookie-year deal in the NFL.
When comparing the alleged $8 million deal that was on the table, it’s a much larger number than how much NFL draft picks get paid, making the move somewhat of a surprise if the report is accurate.
Offer definitely came from Bill at UNC. Turned it down since Bill going to coach the Cowboys I fear.
— Harvey Dent (@OmarUpali10) January 16, 2025
“I would have opted for the NIL offer,” said another fan.
Good.. he wants nfl action and wants to bet on himself
— Cole Ryals (@cole_ryals) January 16, 2025
“A lot of teams looking for a QB! He gets paid either way!” another user said, thinking about the QB-neediness of teams in the 2025 offseason.
“My guess of 8 million is just a rumor,” another user said, throwing doubt on the initial report.
8 million is more than he’ll make as a pro in a year
— DJ – a long suffering Cincinnati Sports fan (@DanNieman864257) January 17, 2025
“Giant mistake,” another user said, succinctly stating their opinion on Ewers’ decision.
This season, Ewers recorded 3,472 passing yards and 31 touchdowns while conceding only 12 interceptions. Similarly, he passed for 3,479 yards and scored 22 touchdowns in 2023.
Ewers started his college career at Ohio State in the spring of 2020. However, he did not start as a freshman. He transferred to Texas after the 2021 season. For three years, he became the face of the program and sustained its rich legacy.
Ewers Pays No Heed to Outside Noise
Fame often comes with criticism. The case was no different for the Texas QB, who has often been a hot subject in the football arena. While speaking to the reporters before the Cotton Bowl, Ewers mentioned he avoids such hateful comments.
“I don’t really pay attention to it,” Ewers said before the game. “When I was younger, maybe a little bit more. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve come to fully understand that relying on what other people think of me won’t get me anywhere, and that’s just not a healthy way to go about life,” he added.
Ewers is expected to be a mid-round pick, on either Day 2 or Day 3 of the 2025 NFL Draft. According to Pro Football Network’s latest seven-round 2025 NFL mock draft, Ewers could land with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
As Jacob Infante wrote, “Russell Wilson may have exceeded expectations for the Steelers so far this year, but they’ll inevitably need to find his long-term successor, and Justin Fields may prove too expensive for Pittsburgh to want to retain as a backup.
“Selecting Quinn Ewers would give the Steelers a strong-armed passer with ample upside while still being able to use your first-round pick on other needs. The flashes have been there to project Ewers as an NFL starter, even if he might not be ready right away.”