UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka announced on Wednesday that he will not play for the team again this season, and some conflicting information has since surfaced about what led to the stunning decision.
In a statement via social media, Sluka wrote that he is benching himself to maintain his redshirt status after UNLV did not fulfill certain commitments to the senior. Sluka transferred to UNLV from FCS school Holy Cross prior to the season, so it was obvious there was some sort of issue with a name, image and likeness deal.
Shortly after Sluka announced his decision, Carl Reed Jr. of 247 Sports reported that all financial commitments UNLV made to Sluka were “completely met.” The issue, according to Reed, was that Sluka’s family asked for more money following big early-season road wins over Kansas and Houston.
All financial commitments for UNLV QB Matthew Sluka were completely met.
But after wins against KU and Houston, Sluka’s family hired an agent and they collectively feel that his market value has increased, per source. pic.twitter.com/CKpjDNxMxK
— Carl Reed Jr. (@CoachReedLive) September 25, 2024
That sounds like UNLV’s side of the story. Sluka’s father, Bob Sluka, told ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg that Matthew agreed to an NIL deal with UNLV in February and was never paid. The elder Sluka denied that the family ever asked for more money. Bob claimed Matthew was told his money would be distributed via a payment plan but that UNLV recently told Sluka’s agent the quarterback would not be paid anything other than a $3,000 relocation cost.
“They keep deferring, ‘We don’t know. You have to wait,'” Sluka told Rittenberg. “Then it was like, ‘We’re going to give him game checks.’ So we’re like, ‘OK, great.’ We did not ask for a single dollar [more]. … We have no idea what the hell happened.”
Bob Sluka told me that when Matt reported to UNLV, he was told NIL deal would be distributed via payment plan. Then was told to wait until classes started, and then the games. During a Sept. 19 call, Matt's agent was told UNLV would not pay anything other than 3K relocation cost.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) September 25, 2024
More from Bob Sluka, father of UNLV QB Matt Sluka:
"We're a hardworking family. To be able to have an athlete like Matt, we don't even really care that much about the money. But there is a principle to it. He's not the first athlete to have this happen."
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) September 25, 2024
Sluka’s agent, Marcus Cromartie of Equity Sports, then shared more details of the Sluka family’s side with ESPN’s Pete Thamel. Cromartie claims Sluka was promised a minimum of $100,000 for transferring from Holy Cross but the school went back on that and said Sluka would only be paid $12,000 over four months.
Once Sluka enrolled there, there was no effort by the UNLV’s collective to formalize a contract at that amount. Months after Sluka enrolled and Cormartie made multiple efforts with the staff and school to address the issue.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 25, 2024
The only money Sluka has received from UNLV, per Cromartie, is a $3,000 re-location stipend for his move. Cromartie said there was never an ask for more money after UNLV's hot start, only the initial amount he was promised up front.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 25, 2024
When that didn’t come, he evaluated his options and decided play elsewhere next year. The redshirt will allow him to play a full spring at a new school and develop with a trainer this fall. He enrolled in July at UNLV after graduating from Holy Cross and missed spring.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) September 25, 2024
The way Cromartie describes it, UNLV had a verbal agreement with Sluka and did not follow through. The school will likely have a different account of what happened.
Either way, it sounds like Sluka is done at UNLV. That is significant, as the Rebels are off to a 3-0 start and have positioned themselves to be one of the teams from the Group of Five conferences to earn a spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff.
Sluka has gone 21/48 for 318 yards, 6 touchdowns and an interception through three games. He also has 39 rushes for 286 yards and a touchdown.
