'Nike Football just went Hollywood': Ryan Williams inks major Alabama football NIL deal
The Alabama football sophomore wide receiver was announced as a Nike athlete, joining a team of athletes such as LeBron James, Kylian Mbappe, Tiger Woods and Simone Biles.
'Since I can remember, Nike has always been the best fit on and off the field," Williams said in a statement. "Family has always been a huge part of who I am. When I had the opportunity to join the Nike family, I knew I had to just do it.'
Williams is the second college football athlete to sign with Nike after former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders signed with the company in 2024.
Williams was a freshman All-American and earned All SEC coaches first-team honors in 2024 where he led Alabama with 865 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.
According to Nike's release, Williams joins an "unmatched NIL athlete roster fueled by the brand's holistic, industry-leading support and longstanding commitment to innovation, all in service of athletes."
Alabama opens its 2025 season against Florida State Aug. 30.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: Ryan Williams named Nike athlete in latest Alabama football NIL deal
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