Pitt super-senior quarterback Kenny Pickett became the first Panther to announce an endorsement deal on Thursday afternoon. Pickett tweeted that he is partnering with The Oaklander Hotel on Bigelow Boulevard for his first NIL deal and will treat the offensive line to what he calls weekly “Hog Dinners” at Spirits and Tales, a restaurant on the hotel’s top floor.

The same institutions and people that actively campaigned against the mildest of player compensation solutions — releasing name, image and likeness rights to the athletes — are now attempting to pull an ambitious 180 and jump on the bandwagon long after it has left.

William Jeffress did something nobody else had done in some time — he asked how his coach was holding up. At just 18 years old, Jeffress has shown maturity and personability that is unmatched by most teenagers, setting him up to lead a new-look Panther team.

Pirates General Manager Ben Cherington and the team surprised many Sunday, picking Louisville sophomore catcher Henry Davis with its first overall selection.

But with different states enacting different rules — the Pennsylvania General Assembly passed a bill last week that allows athletes to capitalize on NIL — it appears as though uncertainty and confusion is common among Pitt Athletics staff and the nation as a whole about the future of collegiate athletics.

The 2022 recruiting class has gotten off to a quick start for the Panthers. Narduzzi has been able to secure 11 verbal commitments.

Dates and matchups for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge were unveiled on Monday afternoon. Pitt men’s basketball will square off against Minnesota at the Petersen Events Center on November 30.

The Pennsylvania General Assembly passed legislation last week which would allow college athletes to profit off of their own name, image and likeness. Included as part of the annual state budget package, the changes would go into effect as soon as it is signed by Gov. Tom Wolf, which could happen as soon as this week.

Over the past year, several Panther teams reached unprecedented heights and are poised to find even more success in the coming season.

Non-revenue sports are an untapped gold mine for viewing pleasure, especially as they leave Pitt’s flagship sports in the dust from a competitive standpoint.