Ball State linebacker Jack Beebe started a custom rug-making business called Foot Stompers.

Beebe has gifted rugs to prominent sports media figures, including Jon Gruden and other Barstool Sports personalities.

The exposure from these gifts has boosted Beebe’s business and generated interest among his teammates.

MUNCIE — In an era where college athletes are finding more and more ways to cash in on their platforms, one Ball State football player has started a unique side hustle that has earned him the admiration of some of the biggest social media personalities of today.

Last fall, Ball State linebacker Jack Beebe started watching rug-making videos on YouTube and thought it seemed like a fun hobby for him to try out. After studying many rug-making content creators, Beebe got some supplies and started crafting his own rugs.

It took plenty of trial-and-error with his materials, but the redshirt senior linebacker eventually felt more confident in his creations and thought he might have a product worth selling.

“I just pulled the trigger and started making them,” Beebe said. “Make them for different people, they can start buying them, the money doesn’t hurt. I just had a lot of fun doing it too, took a lot more of my time and a lot better than just scrolling on my phone.”

Beebe found himself inspired to turn his hobby into a real business. He founded Foot Stompers — his own business where he sells hand-crafted custom rugs — and sent out free rugs to some of his favorite media personalities in the football world.

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The responses have been nothing but positive. Beebe visited Nashville, Tenn., in April to personally deliver a rug to former NFL players Taylor Lewan and Will Compton, hosts of the popular podcast “Bussin’ with the Boys.” Lewan and Compton weren’t in town when Beebe visited, but he received a shoutout on the podcast for his gift and plans to bring them another in July.

He has also made rugs for some of the most prominent personalities at Barstool Sports. Dan “Big Cat” Katz and Eric “PFT Commenter” Sollenberger — hosts of “Pardon My Take,” another prominent sports podcast — now have a Foot Stompers rug in their studio. Other big-name Barstool personalities like Henry “Hank” Lockwood and Tate “Ohio’s Tate” Moore have gotten custom rugs from Beebe, who had the opportunity to visit Barstool headquarters in Chicago to deliver them personally.

But perhaps the most glowing endorsement of Beebe’s work came from Jon Gruden. Since joining Barstool in November 2024, the former NFL coach has become known for his videos where he opens boxes of gear and merchandise sent to him by college and NFL teams — an activity that is clearly very fun for Gurden and an even clearer means of self-promotion for the teams shipping him free gear.

Naturally, Beebe seized the opportunity to get the Foot Stompers name out there. He created a custom FFCA rug for Gruden’s “Fired Football Coaches Association,” which the former coach describes as a think-tank for coaches to come together and share ideas. Beebe shipped the rug to Gruden in March when the box-opening videos first started making waves, but it wasn’t until Saturday, June 21, when Beebe saw his rug on Gruden’s page.

Gruden was ecstatic about Beebe’s gift, calling it “one of the coolest things (he’d) ever received.” Some of Beebe’s friends and teammates questioned why he spent so much time on gift rugs that he wasn’t going to make money on, but according to Beebe, those rugs have paid for themselves through the exposure given to Foot Stompers.

Of course, Barstool celebrities aren’t the only ones who have taken notice of Beebe’s talents. Some of his Ball State football teammates have their own rugs too, including quarterback Kiael Kelly and former defensive back Loren Strickland, now with the Detroit Lions. Beebe’s teammates were very excited to see him get the shoutout from Gruden.

“It’s been pretty funny,” Beebe said. “I made one for Kiael earlier this year, and a lot of guys liked that one. Every time I post a new one, the guys seem to react and say, ‘that’s sick’ or whatever, maybe make fun of me a little bit, but it’s all fun and games.”

According to Beebe, his favorite pieces to create have been football player portraits, such as the ones he made for Kelly and Strickland, while his most challenging rugs have been those with dog portraits. The linebacker also hopes to get some of his rugs into the hands — or rather, under the feet — of some big names in the Indiana sports scene, including Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark and former Indianapolis Colts punter and ESPN personality Pat McAfee.

Heading into his final season with Ball State football, Beebe is considering his own future and the future of Foot Stompers. He has considered bringing in defensive back Cole Earlewine to help scale up the operation, but he isn’t bringing in enough money yet for Foot Stompers to be considered more than a side hustle. As for his personal future, Beebe hopes that the connections made at Barstool or with “Bussin’ with the Boys” could develop into a job opportunity.

No matter what happens, Beebe’s willingness to try something new, his commitment to his craft and his ability to market his products have helped the Ball State linebacker make a name for himself before his final season of college football.

Contact Cade Hampton via email at cbhampton@muncie.gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @CadeHamp10.