You may have seen the term “NIL,” which stands for “name, image, and likeness.” Rule changes have allowed college athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness.
Kentucky’s star pass rusher, Josh Paschal, took advantage of this as he was hired by pediatric dentist Dr. Danny Steckler to hilariously help communicate the importance of oral health.
Paschal is a Prince George’s County native who attended school and played football at Good Counsel in Olney, where he was ranked among the top defensive ends in the country.
In the commercial, he knocks a sugary beverage out of a child’s hand in the opening scene and yells, “Don’t be bringing these sugar-coated lies into my house,” while wagging his finger in the child’s face.
He also reaches through a car window to grab sugary snacks from an unsuspecting driver who says he isn’t even going to the dentist (but likely will be soon after his encounter with the pass rusher).
It hasn’t been all fun and games for Paschal, who has overcome plenty in his NCAA football career. After a strong freshman season in 2017, he was diagnosed with a malignant melanoma lesion that was discovered on his foot, in August of 2018.
It was a rare, aggressive form of skin cancer called acral lentiginous melanoma, or ALM. And it needed to be treated immediately. Josh had multiple surgeries on his foot to remove the cancerous growth and replace the damaged tissue.
On November 17, 2018, barely four months removed from the operating room, Josh suited up for the final home game of the season. The rest is history, as he has made a name for himself and is likely to be drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Featured photo courtesy of ESPN
Take a look at the commercial below:
It’s been great working with Steckler Pediatric Dentistry (@kykidsdentist) and the kids in the community with their oral health! I am the #DefenderOfDecay! @creativecaddie #ad pic.twitter.com/HT8OGg2Bx2
— Joshua Paschal (@JPaschalx) November 23, 2021
