Fall Saturdays in college football season bring thundering roars and massive spectacles. But away from that spotlight, in the silence of the offseason, players are using it to push nobler deeds. Texas QB Arch Manning donated more than $100,000 from his NIL deal to charity, and many followed suit. ASU’s Sam Leavitt was one of them, giving $15,000 to the Pat Tillman Foundation in 2024. This year, too, the former ASU QB is revisiting the same script, collaborating with his partner in crime, Jordyn Tyson.

According to reports, former teammates Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson donated $29,366.05 to Phoenix Children’s Hospital from their NIL money. FOX’s Blake Niemann posted the photo of Tyson handing over the check to the hospital as the former ASU WR smiled at the camera. The noble initiative stems from the players’ partnership with Cold Beers and Cheeseburgers, and they also organized a fundraiser for the charitable cause.

Leavitt and Tyson were among the most marketable players in college football last year. The former ASU QB previously had a $3.1 million NIL valuation, while Tyson boasted a $1 million valuation as per ON3. Both of their valuations sat in the top 100 most valuable NIL players. Although Tyson decided to enter the NFL draft in 2025, Leavitt went on to join LSU with a significant pay boost.

After Lane Kiffin arrived at LSU, he brought Leavitt to Baton Rouge on a high-profile $6 million per year deal. With the historic deal, the 6’2″ and 205 lb QB surpassed even Arch Manning’s $5.4 million NIL valuation. Needless to say, now that the seven-figure deal is officially in place, we will see the QB taking many more charitable initiatives to continue heroics both on the field and off the field.

This wasn’t the first time Leavitt had donated his NIL proceeds for a charitable cause. In 2025, the West Linn, Oregon, native donated all his merchandise commissions and apparel sales back to ASU’s Sun Devils’ collective. Through the initiative, Leavitt aimed to provide scholarships to many deserving and underprivileged athletes and fuel their sporting careers.

“I just want to give back to the community and the people that support me and my programs,” Leavitt said after donating $15k to the Pat Tillman Foundation. “Just to be able to do something like that in a way that’s super beneficial, I’m happy to be able to give back. It’s a big thing to me and my family. It’s a big-time story at ASU. So to be able to do that and give back in a situation where I’m helping kids out, at the same time, it just makes me feel like a better person.”

Leavitt’s donation was used to award academic scholarships for active service members and veterans’ families. Tillman is an ASU legend and sits in the CFB Hall of Fame, apart from getting inducted into the Arizona Cardinals’ Ring of Honor. Moreover, Leavitt and Tyson’s partnership with Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers has also unveiled many new philanthropic initiatives.

After partnering with the restaurant chain, both Tyson and Leavitt had some signature menu items named after them. So, whenever anyone ordered Tyson’s ‘Touchdown Sandwich’ or Leavitt’s ‘QB 10 Wrap,’ 10% of the sales proceeds went directly to Phoenix Children’s Hospital. In their previous campaign, the campaign raised $13,000 in 2025, and the near $30,000 sum is the second consecutive donation campaign from the ASU duo.

Sam Leavitt and Jordyn Tyson see many kindred souls walking their paths

It’s not just Leavitt and Tyson; more and more college players are using their NIL money for a noble cause. Missouri’s Damon Wilson donated $11,000 to Pop Warner football and his former prep program in Florida. Whereas, DJ Lagway put his seven-figure NIL deals to good use and made a “six-figure donation” to Florida’s NIL collective, supporting women’s athletic programs.

Former Iowa State QB Rocco Becht funded and hosted a youth football camp in July 2024. He covered all the expenses for the 5- and 6-year-olds making it to the camp and provided lunches after donating $7,500 to Perry Youth Football Club. “This is just an incredible way to live up to his legacy,” Rocco’s father, Antony, said. “He’s young; he’s still growing, but the fact he wants to do these things is really cool.”

From LaNorris Sellers donating $16,000 to the Gamecocks’ collective to Dante Moore giving back $10,000 to his high school team. The stories just show that categorizing NIL in a simple ‘good’ or ‘bad’ isn’t prudent. While it certainly has made some things difficult for teams. But the opportunities have also paved the way for players to not just become heroes on the field but off the field, too. What’s better than giving back to the community that loves you, shows up for you, and fills the stands?