If you want a reason for why this team looks soft, lacks killer instinct, and emotion then look no further than NIL.

When you have a team full of stars, they’re playing for themselves. It’s hard to be hungry and play for your team when you’ve already been given a $250k g-wagon and a $2.5m NIL deal, like Stroud has. People were shocked by Stroud’s comment about this loss not “defining” him. Why? He’s already rich and comfortable. It’s why NFL players laugh at the unwashed masses who pay money to watch them lose. They’re laughing all the way to the bank.

And then there’s the resentment that’s likely brewing among support players who don’t have the cache of the larger names. Are they going to block as hard for you? Are they going to put their body on the line for you?
 

NIL will attract top talent. But give me a guy who’s hungry and wants to prove themself over a kid in a Bentley.