Marvin Harrison Jr. has taken an unconventional path to NFL branding off the field, waiting until May to sign a standard licensing deal with the NFL Players Association. Now, the Arizona Cardinals rookie is doubling down in a fight to retain his marketing rights, claiming in a legal dispute that he never entered an agreement with Fanatics, the NFL-partnered apparel and merchandise retailer, as Sportico reports.
Fanatics previously filed a lawsuit against Harrison Jr. in May, alleging the former Ohio State standout breached an agreement to provide the company with autographed trading cards and partake in Fanatics promotions. Harrison, however, has since claimed the original deal was struck between Fanatics and The Official Harrison Collection, a company selling autographed Harrison memorabilia.
The wide receiver's contention: The Official Harrison Collection does not represent Harrison, and the deal the company struck with Fanatics was actually signed by Harrison's father, Marvin Harrison Sr.
"I was never requested to, nor did I ever, sign any document that personally obligated me to do anything concerning" the Fanatics agreement, Harrison Jr. said in a sworn affidavit, per Sportico.
His father, meanwhile, who is widely considered one of the best wide receivers in NFL history, has backed his son's claims in statements of his own, saying he "negotiated and signed" the deal "on behalf of The Official Harrison Collection LLC," without participation from his son.
The two sides also disagree on whether Harrison Jr. was paid by Fanatics as part of the agreement, with court filings on Harrison's side alleging Fanatics never paid the wideout or the Harrison Collection LLC, and Fanatics alleging it "made payments to Harrison Jr. ... in both August and October 2023." A judge ruled Thursday that Fanatics is permitted to refile its lawsuit against Harrison Jr. within the next two weeks.
Harrison Jr. was picked fourth overall by the Cardinals in the 2024 NFL Draft. His rookie contract does permit the NFLPA to sell his officially licensed NFL jersey.
