Dante Moore could have gotten into the 2026 NFL Draft as the No. 2 pick and secured a fully guaranteed deal worth about $55 million, possibly with the New York Jets, according to Spotrac. However, he chose not to make that move, and that might just be a smart decision. Last month on SportsCenter, the Ducks’ quarterback officially declared that he’s coming back.

Speaking exclusively to On3 from the Panini Prizm VIP Lounge at Super Bowl LX, Dante Moore made one thing clear. This wasn’t about NIL, leverage, or squeezing Oregon for a better deal. 

“No, [NIL] wasn’t a factor at all,” he said. “I mean, you have $55 million guaranteed in the NFL as the second pick overall. Money doesn’t play a factor with me. If it was money, I would’ve been in the NFL by now. More of it was just getting my talent as best as possible.” 

It wasn’t a blind decision. Dante Moore showed what he’s capable of in his first full season as Oregon’s starter. The Ducks went 11-1 in the regular season, including a gritty double-overtime win over then-No. 3 Penn State at Happy Valley. The Ducks earned the No. 5 seed in the CFP and rolled past James Madison in the first round before knocking off Big 12 champ Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal. But Indiana changed the tone. 

Dante Moore looked like a top prospect last season, but the semifinal collapse marred his exceptional campaign. At the end of the season, the QB ended with a 72 percent pass completion rate for over 3,500 yards and recorded 30 touchdowns. As such, it makes sense for him to come back for another year and continue his playing at Oregon.

“It was a tough decision to make,” he said. “A lot of prayer and thought into it. Reached out to many people just to hear their thoughts. But at the end of the day, I just felt like I could prepare myself way more until I take that next step into the NFL.” 

Oregon is still chasing history since they have yet to taste a national championship victory. There’s that controversial “unclaimed” 2024 title that some selectors awarded them after a CFP quarterfinal loss to Ohio State. But it’s not the same. As Dante Moore said, his return is about building something that has never existed for the Ducks. And that decision also shook the top of the NFL draft board.

The desire to win every time and further development likely played a vital role in Moore’s decision, considering that he’s been linked to the Jets. The NFL franchise isn’t the most suitable place for quarterbacks.

Why Dante Moore quietly dodged the Jets

As of now, the New York Jets sit at No. 2 overall and desperately need a QB. And even before Dante Moore’s decision was made, draft analyst Todd McShay threw a big warning his way. 

“Would you, as Dante Moore’s representative, not reach out to the Raiders to say, ‘Hey, my client’s trying to make a decision. We can live with going to 30 of the 32 teams.’ I can’t allow him to go to the New York Jets,” he said on his podcast earlier in January. 

New York landed squarely on McShay’s “trash list,” and history backs him up. The Jets haven’t had a winning season in over a decade. Their recent QB resume is tough. Zach Wilson, Sam Darnold, Christian Hackenberg, and Geno Smith all struggled or stalled there. New York finished 3-14 this season and closed the year with a 35-8 loss to Buffalo. It was a season full of historic lows that can swallow young QBs whole.

Back in Eugene, Dante Moore’s return instantly raised the bar. Dan Lanning was pretty aggressive in the portal following two straight CFP blowout losses. Boasting the No. 2 recruiting class for 2026, the Ducks addressed most of their requirements, with the QB spot secured and Nebraska transfer Dylan Raiola waiting in the wings as one of the nation’s best backups. Dante Moore didn’t turn down $55 million because he had to, but because he believes Oregon isn’t done, and neither is he. Moore’s fixated on delivering the Oregon Ducks the one thing that’s eluded them for so long–the national championship.