© Jordan Prather/Imagn
Kentucky Wildcats quarterback Zach Calzada has had a long and winding college football career that is full of ups and downs. But the latest moment for Calzada may have just been his lowest moment yet, although he doesn’t appear to feel the same way.
Calzada was a three-star recruit out of high school, according to 247Sports, and committed to the Texas A&M Aggies. Due to numerous injuries, he played three games as a true freshman. Calzada sat the bench in year two before becoming the full-time starter in 2021.
He completed 56.1 percent of his passes for 2,185 yards, 17 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. After that season, Calzada left the Aggies and transferred to Auburn in hopes of replacing Bo Nix, who himself had left for Oregon.
Except Calzada lost the QB battle and transferred again following the season, this time to FCS program Incarnate World. He remained there for two seasons, and in 2024, Calzada completed 66 percent of his passes for 3,744 yards and 35 touchdowns with nine interceptions as Incarnate World went 11-3 and reached the FCS quarterfinals.
Zach Calzada Took One Last Chance In The SEC With Kentucky
With one year of eligibility remaining, Calzada transferred yet again. This time, he went back to the SEC and joined Kentucky, where he was named the Wildcats’ starter to begin the season.
However, he’d struggle mightily and eventually lost his starting job to freshman Cutter Boley. A Kentucky fan recently called Calzada out for getting benched, and his response was, well, kind of embarrassing.
Zach Calzada flexing his money, even though he got benched for Cutter Boley 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/VrVEXfb6Sy
— My Thoughts (@mythoughtskc) November 6, 2025
Calzada filmed a video where he claimed that the fan needs to stop hating and go make money. He then proceeded to count a large stack of $100 bills.
The stack of mean appeared to come out to around $10,000. Which, hey, that’s not entirely insignificant. But it doesn’t even really scratch the surface of the highest-paid quarterbacks in college football.
Clearly, Calzada is not embarrassed. But college football fans were embarrassed for him.
“Imagine being 25 (this week), getting run out of two SEC programs, getting a third chance, being benched for a redshirt freshman, seeing the offense take off… then flexing NIL money like you’re a rapper in a music video,” one fan posted. “Low key one of the most embarrassing videos I’ve ever seen.”
But hey, at least Zach Calzada let the world know he just carries around large amounts of cash at all times. What could possibly go wrong?