UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee signs NIL deal with Icy Hot

When John Rhys Plumlee turned down a deal from the UCF-driven collective Kingdom NIL this spring, he knew he would have plenty more opportunities come his way.

While the former Ole Miss transfer will lead the Knights into the Big 12 Conference this fall, off the field he has become a notable name in the NIL space. With more than 160,000 social media followers, multiple brands have lined up to work with the quarterback.

Turning down the significant financial package from UCF’s collective opened the possibility of supporting some more of his teammates. It’s a selfless and crucial move in NIL, as quarterbacks typically command the highest value.

On Thursday, Plumlee announced one of those NIL deals he knew was coming down the pipeline. The UCF quarterback became the first college athlete to ink an endorsement deal with Icy Hot, filming a social media advertisement for the brand.

The two-sport athlete – he started 58 baseball games at center field for the Knights – is promoting the company’s Icy Hot Pro product. In the video released across his social media channels, Plumlee talks about using the cream to help recover from practice. Full terms of the agreement were not released.

“Growing up using Icy Hot and watching Shaq in their commercials makes me so fired up about this partnership,” Plumlee told On3 in a text message. “Y’all stay tuned to see how I use Icy Hot Pro products throughout the season.”

Introduced in 1984, Icy Hot is produced and marketed by Chattem. The product has gained public notoriety for its marketing work with NBA star Shaquille O’Neal. The two parties have worked together for roughly 20 years.

The product expanded its marketing in the professional ranks, working with Rose Lavelle, Darren Waller and Sloane Stephens. Plumlee is now the first college athlete to endorse the product.

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John Rhys Plumlee cashing in on two-sport fame

One of the top returning quarterbacks in college football with his dual-threat capabilities, he led UCF to a 9-5 record in his first year as the starter. The former four-star recruit also led the Knights in rushing, racking up 861 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Since Plumlee opted to turn down cash from Kingdom NIL, the NIL collective held “A Day in the Life” camp for the quarterback last month. Orlando youth had the chance to interact with Plumlee while simulating his doubleheader from April when he played the first seven innings of a baseball game before running over to the UCF spring game.

“Plumlee came and said he knew what we were talking about and said, ‘I’m good. Take the money you’re going to pay me and told us to use it on offensive linemen and a receiver,'” Kingdom’s executive director SJ Tuohy previously told On3. “He wants to win in the Big 12. And he said, ‘I’ll be fine.’ As a collective, the quarterback should be the highest-paid guy. So from our perspective, for our quarterback to tell us to put that money elsewhere, that put us in a really flexible position.”

Earlier this month, the quarterback signed his first NIL deal with an Orlando-based business. Plumlee will promote the Carl Black Orlando auto dealership this season in exchange for the keys to a new Chevrolet truck. 

The 6-foot-1, 185-pounder has previously signed notable endorsement deals with Dove for Men and Craddock Oil Company. He also joined the digital UCF platform, ChargeOn, run by Mercury. 

A dual-threat quarterback, Plumlee has seen his social media following continue to grow in recent months. Much of that has come thanks to his on-field success last year. He was a camp counselor at the Manning Passing Academy this summer.

Plumlee and UCF begin the season in a week, hosting Kent State in The Bounce House on FS1.