Trinidad Chambliss signs NIL deal to fund scholarships
Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss has signed an NIL deal with Mama Justice Law Firm and is helping launch the Macon a Difference Scholarship, a five-year, $225,000 commitment that will award three $15,000 scholarships each year to students from Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee starting with the spring 2027 semester.
Key Takeaways
- Trinidad Chambliss partnered with Mama Justice Law Firm on an NIL advertising deal that funds the new scholarship effort.
- The Macon a Difference Scholarship is a five-year, $225,000 commitment with three $15,000 awards annually across Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee.
- Awards go to SEC universities in each winner's home state, with applications opening October 1, 2026.
- Chambliss won a court injunction for 2026 eligibility after the NCAA denied a sixth-year waiver.
- A 60-second commercial featuring Chambliss begins airing September 6 across the three states.
What did Trinidad Chambliss announce with Mama Justice?
According to Yahoo Sports and a Mama Justice release, the Ole Miss quarterback signed an NIL partnership with the Tupelo-based personal injury firm and is helping introduce the Macon a Difference Scholarship. The scholarships are funded by Mama Justice in partnership with Chambliss as an outgrowth of that NIL agreement, which the firm said was signed in July as an advertising partnership.
Missy Wigginton, founder of Mama Justice — MW Law Firm, established the Macon a Difference Foundation in 2018 in memory of her son, Macon McKinney. She said their similar paths made the collaboration a natural fit.
"When Trinidad and I sat down and realized how similar our stories are, we knew we had to do something together," Wigginton said in a statement.
How does the Macon a Difference Scholarship work?
Each year, one $15,000 scholarship will be awarded in Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee. Recipients must enroll at an SEC school in their own state—Ole Miss or Mississippi State; Alabama or Auburn; Tennessee or Vanderbilt—or graduate from a high school in that state, including incoming freshmen.
Priority goes to students with financial need, first-generation college students, and those who have overcome adversity. Requirements include a minimum 2.5 GPA, an essay on overcoming adversity through faith and determination, community involvement, and a recommendation letter.
Applications open October 1, 2026, at mamajustice.com/macon-a-difference. Recipients are expected to be announced later in 2026, with the first awards applied to the spring 2027 semester. Create Foundation in Tupelo will administer the program.
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Why does this partnership matter for Chambliss's story?
Chambliss rose from Division II Ferris State—where he was a two-time national champion—to Ole Miss in 2025. After taking over as starter, he threw for 3,937 yards and 22 touchdowns with three interceptions across 15 games, earned SEC Newcomer of the Year and the Conerly Trophy, and finished eighth in Heisman voting while helping the Rebels reach the College Football Playoff semifinals, per Yahoo Sports.
This offseason he fought for another year of eligibility after the NCAA denied his waiver. A Mississippi judge granted a preliminary injunction on Feb. 12, restoring his 2026 season. Mama Justice said it had no role in that litigation.
"I didn't get a single D-I offer out of high school, nobody was lining up to give me a chance," Chambliss said. "This scholarship is for every young person working twice as hard just to get to the starting line."
His commercial begins airing Sept. 6 as Ole Miss opens against Louisville in Nashville—another reason fans tracking weekend TV windows may take notice.