Nearly one year after the Arizona Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the team’s fans will now be able to buy the former Ohio State star’s replica jersey.
According to cllct.com’s Darren Rovell, Harrison Jr. and Fanatics have settled the lawsuit that the sports apparel retailer and the manufacturer had originally filed against the 2023 Biletnikoff Award winner.
“The parties are pleased to have resolved this matter, and looking forward to a productive working relationship going forward,” a Fanatics spokesman told cllct in a statement.
Fanatics’ lawsuit was first filed last May, one year after the company said it had signed the then-Ohio State standout to a binding memorabilia contract. Fanatics alleged that Harrison Jr. had breached his contract in an attempt to negotiate a new deal. At the same time, the wide receiver’s representatives claimed that it was his father, Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison, who had actually signed the original deal on behalf of the son’s company.
Things got messier from there, and eventually, claims were made that the Harrisons had leaked details regarding the situation to Pat McAfee, who shared them on his daily show, which is broadcast on ESPN. Ultimately, the 22-year-old opted not to sign his NFLPA group licensing agreement, which meant that Fanatics — which operates NFLShop.com — couldn’t produce or manufacture merchandise representing his likeness, including replica jerseys and t-shirts.
While the terms of the settlement have yet to be made public, it’s expected that Harrison Jr.’s merchandise will be made available via Fanatics imminently. However, as of Thursday afternoon, no Harrison Jr.-related apparel and memorabilia was available on Fanatics.com.
Meanwhile, cllct estimates that the 22-year-old may have missed on as much as $500,000 in royalties as the result of opting out of the NFLPA group licensing agreement for the duration of his rookie season—a not insignificant amount of money, even for a family featuring two first-round picks.
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.