Syracuse Star Trebor Pena Enters Transfer Portal Amid NIL Dispute With Coach

Syracuse football star wide receiver Trebor Pena has entered the transfer portal after the team declined to meet his increased name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation demands, despite his standout performance last season. Coach Fran Brown stated that while the program 'paid him enough,' Pena requested numbers Brown felt were unreasonable and not in the team's best interest. Brown also revealed that Pena expressed concerns about the abilities of incoming starting quarterback Rickie Collins Jr., which the coach felt was not Pena's role to question. Former NFL player Justin Pugh defended Pena, arguing that players should maximize their financial opportunities and criticized the broader NIL system as flawed. Brown, however, expressed confidence in Syracuse's offense and receiving depth moving forward, believing Pena's departure was manageable. The situation highlights growing tensions and debate around NIL deals and player empowerment in college football.