As he came up from walk-on to All-American at Texas, Michael Taaffe took a calculated approach through NIL. He build a strong following with more than 80,000 followers across Instagram and X.

But when it came to navigating the space, Taaffe had a plan. His goal was to focus on long-term success, meaning he wanted to leave an impact on the greater community.

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That approach helped Taaffe win the Wuerrfel Trophy, the premier award for community service in college football. He took on a central role with Texas Against Fentanyl and visited children in local hospitals. Along the way, he wanted his brand to be about more than just NIL deals.

“How do you want your platform to be remembered?” Taaffe told On3 via Zoom on behalf of Allstate. “I think everybody is an entrepreneur in the game of football. You all have your own business. You all have your own brand. How do you want your brand to be remembered?

“When I say this, I don’t mean to take any shots at anybody, but do you want your brand to be filled of [an] Instagram filled of the local sandwich shop or the local smoothie shop or the local clothing store? Or, do you want it filled for good and significance in your life that will be far more important than $5,000 or $10,000? That’s how I truly live it.”

Michael Taaffe: ‘My calling is to give back’

Michael Taaffe admitted his approach to NIL was “different,” and he signed multiple deals during his time at Texas. He was part of Sonic’s activation along with some Longhorns teammates and Texas A&M players, and he joined Seat Geek’s initiative ahead of last year’s College Football Playoff.

That’s why Taaffe said there are multiple ways to go through the NIL landscape. His focus, though, was on giving back.

“There’s no wrong or right way to go about NIL,” Taaffe said. “It’s just, how do you want your business to be programmed and ran?

“I’ve been chosen to be on the side of, I want my brand to mimic who I am as a person. I believe that my calling is to give back. I’ve been trying to use my brand to give back.”