It’s been more than a week since the Arizona Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and the former Ohio State standout has yet to sign his NFL Players Association (NFLPA) licensing deal.
That means that Harrison’s likeness cannot be used for several NFL products, including replica jerseys and the annual EA Sports Madden video game.
As the 21-year-old’s holdout with the NFLPA enters another week, we now have more details regarding why he has yet to sign. According to ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss, Harrison’s issue comes down to a deal with Fanatics — which operates the official NFL Shop — that he signed prior to the junior season of his college career.
“That deal, which Harrison signed before his last season at Ohio State, is worth more than $1 million and is for autographs, signed trading cards, game-worn apparel and other marketing opportunities, the source said,” wrote Weinfuss. “However, Harrison is trying to renegotiate the deal for more money and is trying to use the fact that he has not yet signed the group licensing agreement as leverage, the source added.”
It remains to be seen whether Harrison’s apparent attempt to renegotiate his deal will prove successful or if there is a real possibility that the two-time unanimous All-American won’t have his official Cardinals jersey available for purchase or be included in this year’s edition of Madden. In the meantime, the son of Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison is selling autographed memorabilia through his own website, The Official Harrison Collection.
[ESPN]
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.