Why is Georgia’s Jaden Rashada suing Florida’s Billy Napier? Revisiting the Gators’ $13.85M NIL fallout with the transfer QB

Former Arizona State and current Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jaden Rashada is suing Florida Gators head coach Billy Napier, along with a big-time Gator booster and others.

Rashada claims that Napier and the boosters defrauded him out of millions of dollars by backing out of a promised $13.85 million agreement after he turned down offers tied to other programs.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, according to ESPN, and includes an allegation that Rashada signed his national letter of intent to Florida on Dec. 21, 2022. He signed it an hour after Napier promised the player's father a $1 million "partial payment" that day upon signing, but Rashada claims he never received the $1 million.

"Sadly, unethical and illegal tactics like this are more and more commonplace in the Wild West that is today's college football landscape," the lawsuit states. "As the first scholar-athlete to take a stand against such egregious behavior by adults who should know better, Jaden seeks to hold Defendants accountable for their actions and to expose the unchecked abuse of power that they shamelessly wielded."

Rashada filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Florida. He becomes the first known college athlete to sue his coach or a booster in a dispute over a name, image and likeness (NIL) deal.

The QB had turned down a $9.5 million NIL deal with Miami as he took the deal with Florida.

The Athletic obtained a copy of Rashada's contract stating that he would receive $250,000 monthly payments as a freshman. That would increase his sophomore and junior years and end with $195,833.33 monthly payments his senior year as long as he fulfilled certain promotional and social media obligations and resided in Gainesville.

Rashada reportedly only ever received $150,000 from Florida, which was used to pay back John Ruiz, the Miami booster involved with the $9.5 million offer.

The QB's attorney told ESPN that Florida and the boosters tried to pull a con move on the teenager.

"It's a classic con game on a 19-year-old," Rusty Hardin said. "We've taken away our commitment in writing to you, but, trust us, not only is the check in the mail, but you can be comfortable you're going to get X. ... And it never happened. ... And he leaves not for the money, but because he can no longer trust them."

After not getting the promised payout, he withdrew his official intent to play for Florida and instead committed to Arizona State.

Jaden Rashada transfers to Georgia

Jaden Rashada played one season at ASU last year, as he went 44-for-82 for 485 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.

At the end of the season, Rashada entered the transfer portal and committed to Georgia.

Rashada will be the backup quarterback behind Carson Beck. However, the QB is projected to take over as the starting QB in 2025 once Beck leaves for the NFL after this season.