Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker Signs Deal With French’s Mustard After Fan Threw Condiment Bottle On Field

Barstool Sports is right.

Hendon Hooker and French’s Mustard did come together to form the best NIL (name, image, and likeness) partnership in college football.

Enduring horrible call after horrible call from the referees during last year’s 31-26 loss to Ole Miss, Tennessee, fans lost it and started throwing random stuff on the field. Water bottles, beer cans, trash, even a golf ball. A mysterious bottle of French’s Mustard also appeared on the field at Neyland Stadium, which led to a giggle-worthy quote from an ESPN college football commentator who said, “Who brings a bottle of mustard?”

A year later, the Vols are the number two team in the country but the biggest story is that French’s Mustard has linked up with Hooker for an NIL deal, according to Boardroom. The endorsement contract was brokered by Spyre Sports Group, according to On3.

1) On Oct. 17, 2021, Tennessee’s men’s football team failed to convert a 4th & 24, completing a 31-26 loss.

Fans disagreed with the call/review that ruled the Vols short of the line to gain, and threw stuff on the field.

One item?

A bottle of French’s mustard — of all things. pic.twitter.com/tsamhIcLT8

— Boardroom (@boardroom) November 4, 2022

Featured in the deal is a flashy pair of mustard-colored Nike Air Force 1’s, so that Hooker can promote the condiment on social media, according to Boardroom.

EXCLUSIVE: After a fan threw a bottle of French’s mustard onto the field after a replay review didn’t go Tennessee’s way last year, it eventually grew into a meme.

Now, @Vol_Football star QB Hendon Hooker has his very own NIL deal with @Frenchs.https://t.co/dsi8x8zuH0

— Boardroom (@boardroom) November 4, 2022

Though payday details haven’t been disclosed, Hooker has a $1 million NIL valuation, according to On3. On3 reports that each of his social media posts is worth $2,100. Hooker has more than 129,000 followers combined on all of his platforms, with over 96,000 on Instagram and almost 37,000 on Twitter. (RELATED: ‘Sickening’: Jim Harbaugh Expects Criminal Charges After MI College Football Players Brawl In Tunnel)

Tennessee fans and their mustard #Vols pic.twitter.com/xcOwU7QTqC

— Kellyanne Stitts (@KellyanneStitts) October 24, 2021

You’ve got to take advantage of this entire situation if you’re French’s Mustard, it’s excellent marketing on their part. After that entire incident at the Ole Miss game last year, Tennessee has pretty much made mustard a part of their culture, so why not sweep up their quarterback while he’s hot with the number two team in college football.

And just in time for their face off with the number one team, Georgia?

Give that entire marketing department a raise!