The Oldest NIL Deal Yet: How Tom Cillo, 58, Just Rewrote the Playbook
Tell someone they’re “too old” for the game, and watch them prove you wrong. That’s exactly what Tom Cillo did this week. At 58 years old, the Lycoming College offensive lineman signed a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deal with Aspercreme—becoming the oldest college football player to ink one. The Athletic / The New York Times first reported it.
This isn’t just a quirky headline or a human-interest puff piece. It’s a story that changes how we think about sports branding, NIL deals, and the way marketers value athletes.
Because if a 58-year-old lineman with more life experience than most of his teammates’ parents can land an NIL deal? The game has officially changed.
Why Cillo’s Story Works
Tom Cillo isn’t a five-star recruit. He isn’t selling jerseys by the truckload. And yet, Aspercreme saw something powerful in his story.
He’s older than any NIL athlete before him. That fact alone makes him stand out in a space dominated by 18–22 year olds.
He’s authentic. He’s not chasing clout—he’s living his dream, finally suiting up for college football decades after most people give up on that fantasy.
He perfectly fits the brand. Aspercreme markets to older consumers managing aches and pains. Who embodies that more than a 58-year-old lineman grinding through practices with kids young enough to be his sons?
This isn’t a gimmick—it’s alignment. The kind that makes both sides look smart.
NIL Was Supposed to Be About the Future
When NIL first opened the doors in 2021, it was all about hot recruits and future pros. The quarterback at Alabama. The gymnast at LSU. The top basketball recruit heading to Kentucky.
The unspoken rule: NIL was for youth. Fresh faces with bright careers ahead. The ones who could sell sneakers, burgers, and energy drinks to younger fans.
Tom Cillo blows that model apart. His value doesn’t come from potential. It comes from storytelling. From being the guy who defies every expectation about what a college athlete looks like.
And that’s where marketers should be paying attention. Because story beats stats every single time.
Age as an Asset
Think about it: Tom Cillo’s deal isn’t surprising once you see it through the brand’s lens.
Demographic match: Aspercreme’s customer base is 55+. Cillo is their target demo.
Authenticity: He’s not pretending—he wakes up sore. He feels the grind. He is the product story.
Media attention: By signing Cillo, Aspercreme bought themselves national headlines, social chatter, and cultural relevance for the price of one NIL agreement.
It’s smart marketing. And it’s a signal: age can be a brand asset, not a liability.
For too long, sports marketing has been obsessed with youth. But older athletes—whether it’s Tom Brady at 45, Serena Williams in her late 30s, or golfers competing into their 50s—carry something younger players can’t: credibility. Life experience. Proof of resilience.
Cillo embodies that. He’s the everyman hero who proves you don’t have to fade quietly into the background at middle age.
NIL as Storytelling Currency
Marketers often miss the obvious: NIL isn’t really about athletic performance. It’s about stories that resonate beyond the field.
Livvy Dunne isn’t the most decorated gymnast, but she’s a top NIL earner because her brand reaches millions online.
Shedeur Sanders’ NIL value skyrocketed not just because of his play, but because of the Deion Sanders effect—story and spectacle.
And now, Tom Cillo proves you don’t need youth, pro potential, or massive social followings. What you need is a story that cuts through the noise.
Cillo’s narrative does exactly that: a 58-year-old man finally living his college football dream. You can’t make it up.
The Risks of Scarcity vs. Authenticity
Scarcity drives attention. Oldest player. Only one of his kind. That’s part of why this deal resonates.
But scarcity without authenticity backfires. If Cillo were a stunt—a plant, a mascot in pads—the deal would feel hollow. The fact that he’s genuinely grinding it out with 20-year-olds makes it authentic.
This matters in NIL. Brands are figuring out that contrived partnerships don’t move the needle. Authentic stories do.
Cillo isn’t an influencer in the TikTok sense. He’s an influencer in the “holy hell, that guy is out there actually doing it” sense.
What This Means for the Future of NIL
Cillo’s deal raises some fascinating questions:
Who else can step into NIL spaces? Could a 45-year-old marathon runner who enrolls at a small college sign a deal? Could a 50-year-old walk-on basketball player? The door is open.
Do brands start chasing narrative over numbers? We may see more companies look for athletes who fit their demographic story, not just their stats.
Does this expand NIL beyond athletics? Imagine older musicians, gamers, or students using NIL deals to align with brands. Why limit it to the young?
The ripple effect here is bigger than one football player in Pennsylvania. It challenges the default assumption that NIL is only about “the next generation.”
My Take
I love this. I think it’s one of the coolest NIL stories since the whole system opened up. And I think it’s a lesson for anyone in media, marketing, or branding.
Cillo reminds us:
Age isn’t the barrier—it’s the hook.
Authenticity matters more than stats.
Your story is always the most valuable asset you own.
Tom Cillo probably won’t play in the NFL. He may never be on a Wheaties box. But right now, his name is everywhere. His story is being told. And Aspercreme looks brilliant for being the first to see the opportunity.
It’s proof that sometimes the most unlikely deal is the most powerful one.
Attribution
The Athletic / The New York Times
first reported the deal.