A college football player has chosen to accept a job with Barstool Sports instead of entering the NFL Draft.
Mike Katic has just played his sixth and last season at Indiana University. He declared for the Draft last year but then opted to return for his final year of eligibility instead.
But, rather than pursue a spot on a NFL team’s roster this offseason, he has taken a position with Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Sports as a media personality and sports analyst.
‘I’m pumped. This is what I think I was born to do,’ he said on ‘The Yak’, a show hosted by another Barstool personality, Dan ‘Big Cat’ Katz.
‘Football’s great, but I think this is my thing. So, I’m super excited to move in here.’
Katic revealed Portnoy offered him a job after he saw him in ‘three clips doing media’.
Mike Katic has decided to take a job at Barstool Sports, rather than pursue a career in the NFL
Dave Portnoy revealed he watched some clips of Katic online and decided to hire him
‘He was projected to be an NFL draft pick,’ Portnoy then said of Katic on The Unnamed Show. ‘And he chose to come with us.
‘To me, he could be a really good character. He’s a good guy, wants to be in media, choosing this.’
The Pittsburgh native will be based in the company’s Chicago office, although his duties remain unclear at present.
Katic does not start his new job until March 1 but recently paid a visit to Barstool’s offices where he was greeted by former NFL coach Jon Gruden.
Gruden, a Super Bowl winner, signed a multi-year contract with Barstool back in November and has been giving football analysis for them ever since.
The move came three years after Gruden left his role with the Las Vegas Raiders when he was shown to have used racist and homophobic language in leaked emails.
Katic recently visited Barstool’s officers where he was greeted by ex-NFL coach Jon Gruden
Vide of Katic meeting Gruden shows the former NFL coach tell him to get into a lineman stance. They then mimicked a snap before shaking hands and hugging.
‘Barstool’s got our new center and I already love him!’ Gruden said on X while posting a video of their first interaction.
After playing in 50 games for the Indiana Hoosiers, Katic was expected to be a late-round pick in the Draft.
Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 10th best center in the Power Four conferences.
