Pitt linebacker SirVocea Dennis takes advantage of NIL opportunities
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — If you are a Pitt football fan, you have no problem remembering SirVocea Dennis' interception last year against Clemson.
Dennis picked off a rare shuffle pass and took it to the endzone to seal the victory against the Tigers.
"That morning, I said I was going to catch an interception and if I did I would give the ball to my mother," Dennis said. "So, the fact that it happened, and like I did it, I was just so amazed."
Dennis has been an amazing player in his first three years, and now he's a captain. Like many, he never thought he'd be able to cash in on his college success as a student. That was until name, image and likeness came along.
"Everybody thinks it's just a lot of money coming in and things like that. I really wanted to build my brand, reach out to communities I never thought I'd be a part of and just get a lot of people behind me and do something that can help me grow," Dennis said.
Dennis has been very selective about business relationships that can help him now financially and into his future after football.
"You want to make sure that everything represents you well and you represent it well," he said. "It's not just me. I'm representing the university, I'm representing my family and in a sense the city of Pittsburgh."
Dennis has made smart business relationships with local companies like Athlete's Recovery Lounge, where athletes get treatment before and after workouts. He's now an ambassador of Next Gen Camps as it helps young kids. He also has a clothing deal with Joseph Orlando Clothier in Downtown Pittsburgh so that he can look his best.
"Fashion does make a statement and they helped me a lot," Dennis said. "I actually have a suit with them for the upcoming season and hopefully the draft."
He would also like to use this platform to help others with causes close to his heart: sickle cell and ALS.
"I have a lot of family members with both diseases and ALS really hits home because my trainer from high school currently has ALS right now," Dennis said.
Dennis is also looking for other opportunities to build his brand, and he thinks the restaurant industry could be a perfect fit.
"I love chicken wings, so I'm thinking about a little sauce like a Voc sauce," he said. "I mean, I'm already named after liquor, so why not?"