ESPN SHOCKER: Oklahoma Sooners QB John Mateer Stuns College Football World—Declines $4.5M NIL Deal from Georgia to Succeed Carson Beck!
In an era dominated by record-shattering NIL deals and transfer portal frenzy, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer just flipped the script—and sent shockwaves throughout the college football world.
According to multiple ESPN sources, Mateer turned down a jaw-dropping $4.5 million NIL offer from the University of Georgia to become the heir apparent to departing quarterback Carson Beck. The Bulldogs, fresh off another CFP appearance and aggressively reloading their roster, had made Mateer their top target. Insiders say the offer included a luxury vehicle, housing perks, and equity in a high-profile Atlanta tech startup.
But Mateer said no.
Instead, the redshirt junior—who already secured a solid $2.1 million NIL package with Oklahoma last December—has chosen loyalty over luxury, electing to stay in Norman and lead the Sooners into their SEC transition campaign.
“I came to OU to build something, not bail on it when the money gets louder,” Mateer reportedly told teammates in a private team meeting Thursday night. “I’m here for the culture, the grind, and to finish what we started.”
Head Coach Brent Venables praised Mateer’s decision as a defining moment for the program.
“In this wild NIL age, John’s loyalty is rare,” Venables said. “He’s a warrior, a leader, and the heartbeat of this team. He just proved that Oklahoma still stands for something deeper than dollars.”
The move comes at a pivotal moment, with the Sooners set to debut in the 2025 SEC schedule, facing powerhouses like Alabama, LSU, and Georgia itself. Mateer, who threw for 2,812 yards and 23 TDs last season, is being positioned as a dark-horse Heisman contender and the centerpiece of a reloaded Sooners offense.
Meanwhile, Georgia now scrambles to fill Beck’s looming void, while college football fans across the country are left stunned. In a landscape often driven by cash, John Mateer just chose legacy—and may have cemented his own in Oklahoma lore.
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