"There was a reason for that lack of gratitude, according to one person familiar with the Bruins' football name, image and likeness operations from that time not authorized to discuss donor information publicly. The player in question didn't know who funded his NIL deal, only that it was coming from the team's collective, Men of Westwood. It was standard practice for players not to know which donors or alumni contributed NIL funds that were distributed to the team."
""I gave money to a kid, I won't mention who," Aikman told Deitsch. "I've done it one time at UCLA, never met the young man. He was there a year, he left after the year. I wrote a sizable check, and he went to another school. I didn't even get so much as a thank-you note. So, it's one of those deals, to where I'm done with NIL. I want to see UCLA be successful, but I'm done with it.""
Troy Aikman stopped supporting NIL after giving a sizable check to a UCLA player who left for another school after one season and did not directly thank him. The player did not know which donors funded his NIL deal because funds came from the team's collective, Men of Westwood, and donor identities were routinely withheld. Men of Westwood leadership, coach Chip Kelly and athletic director Martin Jarmond acknowledged Aikman's contribution. Aikman expects accountability for players who accept NIL money and favors restrictions on transfers except during coaching turnover. He urges top-level leadership to reform NIL practices.
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