Although he’s currently on a break from college football following his dismissal from Texas A&M last November, Jimbo Fisher hasn’t stepped away from the game entirely. Even without a team to coach, Fisher remains deeply invested in the sport and its ongoing developments. However, his love for football is tempered by concerns over issues he believes are eroding the integrity of the game—most notably, problems linked to name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, which Fisher claims have made cheating in college sports even more rampant.
During a recent interview with College Sports on SiriusXM, as reported by On3, Fisher didn’t mince words about the negative impact he sees NIL having.
He called for systemic changes to protect the fairness of the sport, including the introduction of revenue sharing and salary caps across all schools. “We need revenue sharing. We need a salary cap for all schools, and if you’re caught [cheating]—and the other part of this, the tampering that other schools do with players is utterly ridiculous,” Fisher remarked.
He continued by pointing out how larger, more affluent programs are using their financial muscle to poach players from other schools. “The big schools are constantly recruiting players from other programs illegally. Teams work hard to develop talent, and then all of a sudden, their guys are getting poached. It’s wrong for one program to have a financial edge that allows them to take care of a player in ways other schools can’t.”
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Fisher’s comments are especially striking given his own controversial history with NIL during his time at Texas A&M. His aggressive approach to NIL sparked heated debate in college football circles, with Alabama head coach Nick Saban famously accusing Texas A&M of “buying every player on their team” through lucrative NIL deals. Fisher vehemently denied those accusations, but now, from the sidelines, he’s openly critical of the very system he once leveraged.
Fisher’s frustration stems from personal experience, as he recounted multiple instances where other schools attempted to lure his players away with flashy NIL offers. “I’ve had multiple discussions with players I’ve coached. Teams are calling them, offering money, offering NIL deals. I’ve had to sit down with these kids and their parents and explain what’s going on. Even within our own league, there’s tampering happening.”
When NIL was first introduced, Fisher believed it could level the playing field and bring some fairness to the process.
He hoped it would eliminate the under-the-table deals that had plagued the sport for years. But in his view, it’s only made things worse. “I thought NIL would at least make things fair, take the cheating out of the game. It’s done the opposite,” he said.
As Fisher contemplates his next move in coaching, it remains to be seen whether he will return to the same aggressive NIL tactics that characterized his time at Texas A&M or if he will adhere to his newfound critique, pushing for reforms to restore the integrity of college football.
His return to the sidelines could be a defining moment, not only for his career but also for the future of NIL in the sport.
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