After UNLV football started off 3-0, including wins over two Big 12 teams, quarterback Matthew Sluka announced late on Tuesday night that he’ll use his redshirt in 2024 and will not play in any more games this season.
Sluka’s Twitter post — which has already gone viral as of Wednesday morning — noted that he committed to play for UNLV based on “certain representations,” but he’s now sitting out after those were “not upheld.”
It’s perhaps the most bizarre thing we’ve seen happen in the NIL era, but Sluka is certainly allowed to handle this situation the way that he sees fit, even if it means leaving his team out to dry after a 3-0 start.
Rumors started to fly early on that Sluka and his family were demanding more money after beating Houston and Kansas to start the season, but it appears that the Rebels’ NIL representation might’ve fumbled this situation from the start.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg is now reporting that Bob Sluka, Matthew’s father, is telling ESPN that his son’s agents agreed to an NIL deal with the school back in February, but never received any payments.
The elder Sluka also says that they never asked for any adjustments to the deal in place.
“We have no idea what the hell happened,” he told ESPN.
Then, shortly after Rittenburg’s report, things took an even crazier turn.
According to a report from Pete Thamel, Sluka was promised a minimum of $100,000 from a UNLV assistant coach. Then, once Sluka enrolled, there were multiple attempts from both he and his representation to formalize a contract at that amount, but to no avail.
Eventually, the school came back with a contract of $3,000 per month for the next four months — which was $88,000 less than what he was promised initially.
Sluka joined UNLV after spending four seasons at Holy Cross (FCS). He was among the best players in Crusaders’ program history, ranking first in career pass efficiency (147.4), second in career rushing yards (3,583), second in career rushing touchdowns (38), fifth in career passing yards (5,916) and fifth in career passing touchdowns (59).
UNLV beat Houston in their season opener, 27-7, and then upset Kansas in Week 3, 23-20, to get off to a 3-0 start. Sluka has been a big driver of the early-season success. He has has completed 21 of 48 passes for 318 yards, six touchdowns and one interception. He has also 39 rushes for 286 yards and a touchdown.
UNLV is set to face Fresno State (3-1) this Saturday and will now have to do so without their leading passer and rusher.
