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As the star quarterback of one of college football’s best teams, C.J. Stroud is no stranger to NIL deals that have flooded the sport over the past year. On Thursday, Stroud revealed to his teammates that he had a special gift for them ahead of Saturday’s season opener against No. 5 Notre Dame.
Stroud has used his partnership with Express, a national fashion retailer headquartered in Columbus, to give $500 gift cards to every Ohio State football player for a new suit. He made the announcement on Thursday, which was met with great applause and fanfare from the rest of the team.
Stroud, along with wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Nijgba, partnered with Express back in April as the company’s first-ever college athlete ambassadors. The company also holds deals with NBA players Stephen Curry, Victor Oladipo, Trae Young and Jamal Murray.
“This is a truly authentic connection,” Express’ chief marketing officer Sara Tervo said, per Dan Eaton of Columbus Business First. “We were talking internally about our style ambassadors so we reached out to see if there was an opportunity.”
Ohio State enters the season ranked No. 2 in the AP Poll. Kickoff for Saturday’s matchup with the Irish is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
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