A Clemson Tigers standout is using his NIL opportunity to support a cause that is very near to him. Jake Briningstool, the Clemson Tigers’ top tight end, is leveraging his Name, Image, and Likeness platform to benefit a cause important to his heart.
David Hood of TigerNet conducted a profile on Briningstool and his family, who are extremely close and have attended every Clemson game since Briningstool was a student, despite the fact that they live in the Nashville area. Briningstool’s older brother Mitch has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since he was two years old.
Jake purchased a table for his parents at the Arthritis Foundation of Tennessee’s annual ‘Dinner of Champions’ in Franklin, TN, utilizing NIL earnings earned while playing for the Tigers.
“It affects his life every day,” Briningstool said of his brother Mitch, who suffers from the illness, which causes joint discomfort, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function, according to the Mayo Clinic. In the piece, Briningstool identified Mitch as his ‘built-in best friend.’
“Our family does an excellent job of supporting and guiding him through this. It severely constrained him. The way he moves and walks shows that he is in discomfort when he wakes up. You can tell that something is awry.
But I think the most important thing is how he carries himself and goes about his life. The attitude he carries. He attacks every day. He can accomplish anything, and he believes he has no limitations…It’s just encouraging to see how he carries himself.”
Briningstool went on to say that some of his high school teammates also supported the cause during the champions banquet, which meant a lot to him because he values family so much. Briningstool saw it as a no-brainer to be able to use the money he earned as a collegiate athlete who will most likely pursue a career at the next level.
During his Clemson career, Briningstool has over 1,000 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Following a spectacular junior year in 2023 in which he broke personal records in catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns, he will attempt to finish strong this season before moving on to the NFL.
The Briningstool family is taking part in the Arthritis Foundation’s Jingle Bell Run, and you can support Mitch’s cause here.
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