Kentucky QB Zach Calzada apologizes for NIL flex on social media
Published:
Kentucky quarterback Zach Calzada apologized on Friday afternoon for a recent social media post in which the 25-year-old Wildcats backup bragged about his NIL earnings.
Calzada’s lack of playing time this season for a struggling Kentucky program didn’t stop him from posting the recent video where he’s counting money for all to see. Calzada was supposed to be the Wildcats’ starting QB in 2025, but he was benched in Week 2 after a poor start and hasn’t seen any action since then. The senior has all of 234 yards passing with 0 touchdowns and 1 interception this season, with a dismal 27.9 QBR.
On Friday, Calzada did some major backtracking after this off-putting video:
That backtracking by Calzada was a statement of apology for all to read after the video that went viral and caused a social media firestorm.
Calzada addressed his apology directly “to my teammates, coaches and anyone who has ever believed in me.”
He wasn’t done.
“I take full responsibility for the video I sent to someone on social media,” Calzada wrote. “I let my emotions get the best of me.”
Here is Calzada’s full statement of apology:
Calzada is a former 3-star recruit from way back in the 2019 recruiting cycle. He had already had a whirlwind collegiate career before this incident that created a lot of attention for all the wrong reasons in Lexington.
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
