Former Ohio State QB Lincoln Kienholz just received a whole lot of money at his new college football home
Lincoln Kienholz spent three season at Ohio State before leaving this past winter. Now at his new home in the ACC, Kienholz has now inked an NIL deal that’s going to give him significant cash.
Ohio State football saw more than 30 players leave through the transfer portal following the Buckeyes’ 12-2 season in 2025. One of those departures was quarterback Lincoln Kienholz, who spent three seasons with the program before transferring to the Louisville Cardinals.
Now, ahead of his first opportunity as a full-time starter, Kienholz has secured a six-figure NIL deal with Adidas, according to On3’s Pete Nakos.
Kienholz will join Adidas’ NIL brand ambassador program for college athletes as he prepares for the 2026 season under Louisville coach Jeff Brohm. It’s a significant deal for a quarterback who has never started a college football game.
Lincoln Kienholz bet on himself at Ohio State before moving on
Kienholz had every reason to leave Columbus sooner than he did. After competing for the starting quarterback job against Julian Sayin, Kienholz spent the 2025 season as Ohio State’s backup. He could have transferred earlier, but he opted to stay and compete.
His playing time with the Buckeyes was limited. Kienholz attempted 36 passes and completed 21 of them for 250 yards and one passing touchdown. He also added two rushing touchdowns. Those numbers don’t jump off the page, but the fact that he’s built a strong enough brand to land a deal like this says a lot about his potential and marketability.
Louisville could be the perfect landing spot
According to On3, Kienholz carries an NIL valuation of $2 million. That’s a strong figure for a player without a single collegiate start to his name. The Adidas deal stacks on top of whatever NIL compensation he’s already receiving at Louisville, making him one of the more well-compensated quarterbacks in the ACC before he’s taken a snap as a starter.
Brohm has a track record of developing quarterbacks at a high level between multiple stops. Kienholz could be the next in that line. The talent was always there during his time at Ohio State, and a fresh start in Louisville gives him the chance to prove he’s a starting-caliber quarterback at the Power Four level.
Whether or not Kienholz develops into an NFL draft prospect remains to be seen, but he’s already doing a tremendous job capitalizing on the NIL landscape. Landing a six-figure Adidas deal before ever starting a game is proof of that. This fall will be telling for what Kienholz can become as Louisville’s signal-caller in 2026.