Where there is family, there is Travis Hunter! The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner had been in the spotlight all season. He wasn’t just breaking records; he was making records! It was only a matter of time that big brands would seek him out for NIL deals, and it came sooner than anticipated. People are curious why the Colorado two-way star would choose $45B Adidas over Nike. But he has a solid reason. But before we look at that…

Hunter signed with the brand earlier this month joining the likes of players like Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tua Tagovailoa and Chris Jones, in The Three Stripes club. Notably, the two-way star plays with Nike at Colorado, but has been teasing the new deal by wearing Adidas apparel during his ‘The Travis Hunter Show’ podcast, during his Twitch livestreams, and even his pregame warmup appearances.

As per a press release, US Sports & Creation Center Portland at Adidas GM Aaron Seabron remarked, “As part of our continued investment in the next generation of athletes, we’re proud to partner with someone whose passion for sport and drive to create impact on and off the field mirrors our own. Travis is undeniably one of the most dynamic athletes in any sport, and we’re excited to collaborate with him and celebrate all that he accomplishes as he transitions into the next phase of what promises to be a long and successful career.”

Travis, on the other hand—currently flaunting a $5.7 million NIL valuation (as per On3) with other partners like NerdWallet and United Airlines—said, “Working with adidas is a special opportunity for me and something that I’m really excited about as I look ahead to what’s next. The partners they currently have are top tier with some of the best young guys like me. I’m pumped to join the three stripes as we continue pushing the boundaries of the sport we all love.”

In fact, to celebrate the newly forged partnership, the brand has even launched a collection of limited-edition apparel featuring ‘He12man Winner’ hoodies and t-shirts, along with football cleats, shorts, shoes, and Arm Sleeves to name a few. But that is not the only perk the 21-year-old will be getting…

$5.2M Travis Hunter got something from Adidas that Nike didn’t offer. His response in the video on travishuntershow on Instagram on December 23 answered it perfectly. When asked why the German brand is the perfect brand for him, he said, “I ain’t signing nothing that ain’t got no family involved. Once you do that, and once you keep that connection…We had a connection for a while. I just couldn’t talks about it because we was trying to get a contract out to go. I love the adidas family. They came out, spoke to my family, spoke to me…They had to add Trayvis in the deal, so it’s gotta be right if Trayvis in it.”

Further in the conversation, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner also revealed some interesting/endearing details about the deal. At one point in the conversation, the host asked, “How was it like when you went [to the Adidas HQ in Germany…Did you get a chance to go out there?”

To which, Hunter responded, “Straight movie…Energy was right…I never told them a snack that I like; they found out by watching my YouTube videos. Once you did that..[went] into that much detail just to make it feel right, and feel comfortable and feel like at home…all we had to do is get the other stuff right.” But you know what’s funnier?

The Buffs player even indulged in a game of football with Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden, who used to be a soccer player in the 80s? As per the revelation, “[In Germany, I went] ahead and had a punt off with the CEO. I’m going to win…of course I’m going to win. But like stil…he used to play soccer, they say. I don’t need to play soccer, I kick the football. That’s all that matters!” Well, in Gulden’s defense, the man is 59 years old and retired from his professional career in 1988 owing to a knee injury! I guess Hunter has surely cut him some slack!

Having said that, Adidas might have also made a great decision signing the Hunter brothers. They’re both stars in their own rights. 

Is Trayvis the next Travis Hunter? 

It would be unfair for Trayvis Hunter to receive a comparison to his older brother. Travis Hunter was phenomenal this season on both offense and defense, with 1500+ snaps. He also made an FBS record with three receiving touchdowns, with one interception in two different games! The 21-year-old even received backlash for playing too many snaps. That’s how much he pushes. But another star is rising.

Trayvis Hunter is a sophomore WR at Effingham County High School in Georgia. The 5’7, 140-pounder made 36 catches for 496 yards and six touchdowns. He particularly made waves in the second half of the season, hauling in 19 catches for 331 yards and five TDs in the final four games. The potential is there. Why else would two Division I programs—Jackson State and Tennessee State University—offer him on the same day?

Maybe Trayvis would be interested in carving his own path later on instead of remaining under his brother’s shadow. But whatever his decision leads him to, it’s already clear that he has innate athletic skills just like Travis Hunter. Maybe it runs in the blood. And that’ll be a huge win for both the Hunter brothers as well as Adidas.