Iowa State Cyclones Players Just Struck the Funniest NIL Deal Yet

You don't have to look too deeply to see that NIL (name, image, likeness) deals have radically transformed the landscape of college athletics. For years, the NCAA used to lick every dollar it made off of its unpaid players. Now, the players have opportunities to maximize themselves with endorsement deals.

With that in mind, NIL deals have given us some pretty funny promotions (have you seen Louisiana Tech wide receiver Decoldest Crawford in an ad for an air conditioning company?). But the one four Iowa State football players just struck might be the new contender for funniest NIL deal yet.

The Iowa Pork Producers Association struck a deal with Myles Purchase, Tyler Moore, Tommy Hamann, and Caleb Bacon, who, together, have created a new ad campaign: "Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon." A promotional image of the players jerseys along with a bevy of pork products was released this week.

This deal comes just a few days before the start of October, which marks National Pork Month. Iowa Pork plans to feature ads on social media, and plans to donate $1,000 of pork to each player's food pantry of choice, per KWWL.

Trish Cook, the President of Iowa Pork Producers Association, released a statement about the NIL deal:

These four young men are not only great football players, they also have strong academic records, and great last names! We couldn’t be more excited to work with them in this fun initiative to publicize Iowa pork.

The idea started when a photo of Hamann sitting next to Bacon went viral on social media. Hamann added via press release that the opportunity to partner with the Iowa Pork Producers Association was just too perfect to pass up:

I think it’s just hilarious being able to use play-on words on our last names in a super clever way to promote Iowa pork and it’s just an all-around great opportunity to bring us all together.

Read more about the Iowa State Cyclones players clever NIL deal here.