"College QBs making more than some NFL backups": Fans baffled at Sam Leavitt's $3 million deal with Arizona State

College football fans took notice when Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt secured a $3 million NIL deal to stay with the Sun Devils. Though Arizona State fell 39-31 to Texas in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Jan. 1, star quarterback Leavitt stands firmly behind his team.

Speaking to On3's Pete Nakos, Leavitt shared his ambitious vision:

“I want to have a statue here and make Arizona State something that it’s never been before,” Leavitt told On3's Nakos.

Arizona State signs quarterback Sam Leavitt to $3 million deal, surprising fans:

“These college QBs making more than some NFL backups,” a fan said.

“3 million for 1 season of decent QB play. College football is such a joke,” another fan said.

“Star QB locked in for 2026,” one fan said.

Here are some more reactions from fans.

“Holy over pay,” a fan said.

“Dude it not worth $3 mil. Only good cause of Skattebo,” another fan said.

“He’s maybe worth 500k lmao Skattebo was that whole team,” one fan said.

Leavitt’s outstanding 2024 season proved he's the cornerstone of the Sun Devils' future. The numbers tell the story: he threw for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns and kept mistakes to a minimum with just 5 interceptions. His sharp 63% completion rate and stellar 80.1 quarterback rating showed he can compete with the best.

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Sam Leavitt’s success has brought financial rewards

Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt (Credits: IMAGN)

Sam Leavitt’s decision to return in 2025 was confirmed through a new partnership with the Sun Angel Collective. The quarterback's success has brought financial rewards not just for himself but for the entire conference – Arizona State's CFP qualification earned the Big 12 $4 million, which will be shared among member schools.

If the Sun Devils had defeated Texas, that figure could have reached $6 million, with the potential for another $6 million bonus if they had advanced to win a semifinal game.

The young quarterback's commitment has already paid off. Leavitt led the Sun Devils to an unexpected Big 12 title appearance in their debut season, a remarkable achievement that seemed out of reach in October. His $3 million NIL valuation now ranks No. 12 among all college football players and places him No. 15 in the prestigious On3 NIL 100.