18 Nebraska football players pursuing arbitration over rejected NIL deals worth more than $1M

Eighteen Nebraska Husker football players are reportedly taking legal action over rejected name, image and likeness deals.

March 11, 2026Updated: March 11, 2026
News Channel NebraskaBy News Channel Nebraska

Image from Nebraska Athletics.
By First Alert 6 staff reports and 10/11 NOW

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Eighteen Nebraska Husker football players are reportedly taking legal action over rejected name, image and likeness deals.

College football reporter Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports was the first to report the news.

The College Sports Commission, or CSC, is in charge of approving third-party name, image and likeness agreements. The CSC’s NIL Go clearinghouse reportedly turned down third-party NIL deals for the 18 Husker players in question, with a combined value of more than $1 million.

Those 18 Huskers are now pursuing arbitration, looking to reverse the rejection.

Details — including which Nebraska players are involved and which NIL deals were rejected — are not yet clear.

If the arbitrator sides with the CSC, the players would have to decline the money. If they have already received it, they would have to give the money back.