Florida Panthers Sign Football QB D'Eriq King As First 'FLA Athlete'
Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports
It's not every day an NHL team signs a college football quarterback.
The Florida Panthers announced on Monday that they have signed QB D'Eriq King as part of the team's Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) program.
On July 1, the door opened for college athletes to sign NIL deals. The move makes King the first collegiate athlete to sign an NIL agreement with a professional sports team - in a completely different sport, nonetheless.
As part of the deal, King will appear at Panthers games at the BB&T Center and other events to help create content and work as a fan ambassador.
"We are thrilled to welcome D'Eriq to Panthers Territory as our first 'FLA Athlete," the Panthers' Chief Strategy Officer Sam Doerr said. "D'Eriq is a superstar both on and off the field and we are excited to reach and engage South Florida sports fans in new ways through this collaborative partnership."
King, a senior, led the University of Miami Hurricanes to an 8-2 regular-season record this past season. King threw for 2,686 yards and 23 touchdowns, completing 211 of his 329 passes.
