Stanford football is trying to find its footing. The Cardinals have struggled through recent seasons, going 3-9 in each of the last four seasons, and currently sit at 2-3 under interim coach Frank Reich.
The program is also navigating the paradigm shift in college sports caused by deals, an evolving transfer portal, and the House v. NCAA ruling. Adapting to this new landscape has been anything but easy for a program. However, things have changed in the last 24 hours. Stanford football just received its largest individual donation in the program’s history.
Who Is Bradford M. Freeman and Why Did He Gift Stanford Football $50M?
ESPN college football senior writer, Pete Thammel posted on X, “The Stanford football program has received a $50 million gift from a former player.” Stanford football received $50 million as a gift from Bradford M. Freeman.
As President Jonathan Levin rightly puts it, “This is a game-changing gift for Stanford.” And game-changing it is. To make things more interesting, this donation, as Thammel mentions, “It is tied directly to football and not a building or facility project.”
NEWS: The Stanford football program has received a $50 million gift from a former player. The gift is the biggest individual gift for the program in Stanford football history, and it is tied directly to football and not a building or facility project. pic.twitter.com/tldb1vFzuz
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) October 8, 2025
The funds will bolster scholarships, support NIL opportunities, and provide critical resources to enable Stanford football to compete more effectively. “With Brad’s incredible gift, we are positioned to win on the field and build a bridge to a sustainable future for Stanford football,” said Andrew Luck, Stanford’s recently appointed general manager and former quarterback.
Luck, who earned All-American honors and a Stanford degree before a seven-year NFL career, also emphasized that these resources will aid the program in attracting top student-athletes. But who is Freeman? And why such a big number?
Freeman is a former Cardinal football player, philanthropist, and longtime Stanford trustee. He stood out in high school football in Fargo, North Dakota, before joining Stanford on a football scholarship.
In his own words, “I went from outstanding player of the year to setting a record at Stanford for the most minutes not played in four years.” After graduating with a degree in economics in 1964 and earning an MBA from Harvard, Freeman co-founded Freeman Spogli & Co., a private equity firm. During it all, he remained a steadfast supporter of Stanford Athletics for nearly six decades.
This is not the first time Freeman has played a vital role in Stanford’s football program. In 1988, Freeman endowed the nation’s first head coaching position, the Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football.
Stanford plans to honor Freeman by naming a tunnel and a gate at Stanford Stadium after him, forever remembering his legacy in the heart of the Cardinal’s home field.
As the program seeks a full-time coach beyond this interim season, this $50 million infusion could be the headline that attracts the next leader to turn ambition into championship reality. Next up, the Cardinals will be going up against SMU on October 11.