Nebraska's Jeff Sims signs NIL deal with Amigos, stars in commercial

Jeff Sims went to Nebraska this spring and won the starting quarterback job outright.

The former Georgia Tech starter transferred to Lincoln shortly after Matt Rhule was named the Cornhuskers’ next head coach. Going head-to-head with Casey Thompson this offseason, Sims impressed in spring practice with his dual-threat ability.

Now the quarterback has inked his first NIL deal with a Nebraska restaurant. Sims has entered into a season-long partnership — which expires at end of the regular season — with the Nebraska staple, Amigos. The restaurant chain was originally founded in 1980. The Mexican food business has grown to more than 25 restaurants across the Cornhusker State, featuring salsa bars and launching Kings Classic, which has an American-style approach.

Sims will be working specifically with Amigos to launch the “Jeff Sims Combo.” The menu item launches this Tuesday and includes a soft taco with a crisp meat burrito. Through a season-long endorsement deal, the Nebraska quarterback will be featured in TV commercials and billboards for the brand. It’s the first-ever NIL deal executed by Amigos.

Restaurants and the food industry have become a popular ground for NIL deals. Texas running back Bijan Robinson launched a mustard brand last year, while Alabama defensive back Kool-Aid McKinstry partnered with the Kool-Aid brand. Florida’s entire offensive line signed an NIL deal with Sonny’s BBQ in Gainesville last year, too.

In a commercial released Saturday, Sims is seen promoting his new Amigos combo meal.

“I’m quarterback Jeff Sims,” the former four-star recruit said in the ad. “I love Nebraska because of the loyal fans for both food and football, that’s why I’m excited to partner with a long-time, Nebraska-based restaurant like Amigos. Making food from scratch is hard work, and Amigos isn’t afraid of it. Neither am I. I’m a dual-threat quarterback, so the Jeff Sims Combo has both a soft taco and the crisp meat burrito. It’s the best of both worlds.”

GSE Worldwide facilitated the agreement for Sims, who started eight games for the Yellow Jackets in 2022 before suffering a season-ending foot strain.He went 110-for-188 and 1,114 passing yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. The junior had 405 rushing yards on 49 carries.

In his three years as Georgia Tech’s starter, he had road wins over No. 21 North Carolina and No. 25 Pitt.

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Jeff Sims’ growing NIL brand

The Nebraska quarterback has emerged as a leader this spring. He went 9-for-13 for 139 passing yards and added 14 rushing yards on six attempts. Sims ran in for a touchdown, his only TD of the day, in the spring game, too.

Since arriving in Lincoln, the quarterback has become a popular name for businesses to partner with. He has signed on with the Nebraska-driven NIL collective The 1890 initiative. Sims is also working with AKRS Equipment, which is a John Deere dealer.

Jeff Sims has a notable social media brand, with more than 39,000 followers. He also holds a $102,000 On3 NIL Valuation. The On3 NIL Valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

About On3 NIL Valuation, Brand Value, Roster Value

While the algorithm includes deal data, it does not act as a tracker of the value of NIL deals athletes have completed to date, nor does it set an athlete’s NIL valuation for their entire career. The On3 NIL Valuation calculates the optimized NIL opportunity for athletes relative to the overall NIL market and projects out to as long as 12 months into the future.