Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter was suspended over a $427 flight—now he’s donating that amount to charity for every tackle he makes this season

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter has found a unique way to demonstrate his frustration with the NCAA suspension that he received earlier this year. The college football player was fined $427 for accepting an unauthorized flight from an agent after he had declared for the NFL draft. After serving his suspension, Carter decided to make a positive impact by starting a new philanthropic initiative.

Starting with the first game of the 2025 season, Carter will donate $427 for every tackle, $500 for each sack, $1,000 for every interception or forced fumble, and $5,000 for every defensive touchdown he scores. The amounts are a direct reference to the amount of the flight that led to his suspension. Carter's decision to donate to cancer research is deeply personal, as he has been supporting his girlfriend, Mariah Bryant, who is battling breast cancer.

He has also cut his hair in solidarity with her and aims to raise money for Nashville-area cancer treatments at Sisters Network Nashville to help pay her medical bills.

While Carter's net worth is estimated at $775,000 through his name, image, and likeness deals, his donations are significantly smaller compared to other college football players, such as Texas quarterback Arch Manning, who has an estimated NIL value of $6.8 million. Nonetheless, Carter's stat-by-stat pledge is a novel approach in the world of college football player philanthropy.

Most donations from players have traditionally been lump-sum contributions, such as Manning's donation of the $102,500 earned from auctioning a Panini trading card.

Carter's planned donations based on his 2024 statistics could amount to more than $42,000, which would be a substantial contribution to cancer research. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com.