MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Miami Dolphins quarterback Quinn Ewers said he chose the NFL over lucrative college offers in order to preserve his relationships at the University of Texas.
The top-ranked high school player in the nation in 2021, Ewers committed to Ohio State but transferred to Texas the following season. He started 36 games for the Longhorns over the next three seasons, going 27-9 with two trips to the College Football Playoff. He declared for the NFL draft in January 2025 and was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round.
Ewers reportedly received an $8 million offer to transfer for his last remaining season of college eligibility, and he confirmed Wednesday that he "had opportunities to go other places."
"I felt like what I built with my teammates at Texas and the legacy that we built, I didn't want to mess anything up there," Ewers said. "... To me, it's not about the materialistic things of this world because it comes and goes. What's important to me is the relationships that are built along the way. And I didn't want to disrupt or rub anybody the wrong way, being selfish and trying to go get money from another team, because I was a lifelong Longhorn.
"Growing up, I wanted to play there. Ended up being the quarterback there, living on my dreams. My 10-year-old self wouldn't transfer away and go somewhere else. So, at the end of the day, that was the right decision for me."
Ewers made headlines when he signed with Ohio State on a $1.4 million NIL deal with GT Sports Marketing. He also reportedly made roughly $6 million in name, image and likeness revenue while at Texas.
He encouraged current college athletes to consider relationships over money when deciding their future.
"That's important for these younger kids to take into account," Ewers said. "Stop being so focused on the materialistic things, whether it's NIL or whatever, and start building relationships that matter that'll last you a lifetime."
Ewers will make his third NFL start Sunday against the New England Patriots. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he has seen improvement from the quarterback in each of the past two weeks, saying Ewers has "the ability to lead this team to victory."
Ewers said he's taking the end of his rookie season "one week at a time."
"It's definitely a dream come true for me to be in the shoes that I'm in right now," Ewers said. "But it also hasn't felt like I've had that time to really step back and kind of look at what's going on and whatnot. But at the end of the day, I'm not too worried about that because I'm just trying to keep instilling confidence in my teammates and continuing to grow within the position and within the team."
