Dante Moore Responds to Troy Aikman’s NIL Comments: “If He Sent It, Thank You - But I Didn’t Know”
**MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. ** - Ahead of a high-stakes matchup between No.
4 Texas Tech and No. 5 Oregon, quarterback Dante Moore took a moment to address some unexpected off-field noise - and it involved a Hall of Famer, a sizable NIL donation, and a whole lot of misunderstanding.
Earlier this month, Troy Aikman - the legendary UCLA and Dallas Cowboys quarterback - made headlines during an appearance on the Sports Media podcast. Aikman expressed his frustration with the current state of NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals in college football, revealing that he’d made a significant donation to support a UCLA player who later transferred without, in his words, “so much as a thank you note.”
“I gave money to a kid, I won’t mention who,” Aikman said. “I’ve done it one time at UCLA, never met the young man.
He was there a year, he left after the year. I wrote a sizable check, and he went to another school.
I didn’t even get so much as a thank you note. So, it’s one of those deals, to where I’m done with NIL.”
Aikman didn’t name names, but it didn’t take long for speculation to swirl - especially with Moore, a former five-star recruit, having transferred from UCLA to Oregon after his freshman season. The timing, the position, and the high-profile nature of Moore’s move made him the likely subject of Aikman’s comments in the eyes of many.
But Moore, now leading the Ducks into a College Football Playoff semifinal, wanted to set the record straight.
**“If he sent it to me, I didn’t know it was him,” Moore said. ** “I didn’t see it.
When it comes to people thinking it’s me, of course, everybody’s going to think it’s me. It’s quarterback-to-quarterback.
I don’t want that false narrative being put out there that I didn’t say thank you.”
Moore emphasized that he’s never met or spoken with Aikman and wasn’t aware of any direct NIL support coming from the Hall of Famer. Still, he made it clear that if Aikman had indeed contributed to his NIL deal, he’s grateful - even if he didn’t know it at the time.
**“I didn’t hear nothing from him. I didn’t see nothing from him,” Moore added.
“So, if he sent it, thank you, but I don’t know what he’s talking about.” **
According to reports, UCLA’s NIL collective - Men of Westwood - does not disclose donor identities to the athletes receiving NIL funds. In this case, while Moore may have benefitted from a donation linked to Aikman, there was no direct connection made between the two. The Los Angeles Times reported that Aikman was thanked by then-head coach Chip Kelly and athletic director Martin Jarmond, but not by the player himself - because, as Moore explained, he simply didn’t know.
It’s a moment that underscores the growing pains of the NIL era. The system is still evolving, and as more high-profile figures like Aikman get involved, there’s bound to be some friction between expectations and reality. For players like Moore, the focus remains on the field - and right now, his attention is squarely on the Ducks’ playoff run.
But off the field, Moore’s response was calm, respectful, and clear: no bad blood, just a misunderstanding in a rapidly changing college football landscape.
And if Aikman’s donation did, in fact, help support Moore during his time at UCLA?
“Thank you,” Moore said. “Seriously.”