Pat McAfee: Marvin Harrison Jr. NFLPA licensing standoff about problem with Fanatics
Ahead of being selected with the No. 4 overall pick of the 2024 NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals, former Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. did not sign the preliminary NFL Players' Association licensing agreement that would allow his name and likeness to be monetized before his NFL contract is signed.
On Wednesday, Pat McAfee reported that Harrison's problem with the agreement is not about the NFLPA. Instead, it's about the NFL's association with Fanatics: an American manufacturer that produces licensed sportswear and collectibles for multiple sports leagues including the NFL.
We have heard from source(s) inside the Marvin Harrison Jr. camp..
This isn't about the NFLPA & he'll be part of it when the time comes..
This all revolves around a potential beef with Fanatics from an offer that was made when he was a sophomore in College #PMSLive https://t.co/Tm4dV9Ys7l pic.twitter.com/G6u6xVqHEu— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) May 1, 2024
"I guess there was an offer made to Marvin Harrison Jr. whenever he was a sophomore in college, which happens to a lot of guys, where if you sign it, a card deal, an autograph deal, it's for four years," McAfee said. on "The Pat McAfee Show" Wednesday. "So it goes all the way into your second year of the NFL. Marvin Harrison, who doesn't need the money, said, 'We're not taking that deal. We're not signing the deal.'
"What we have been told is the price of Marvin Harrison Jr. as a rookie and second-year in the NFL is not the same as when he was a sophomore in college," McAfee continued. "And there's a lot of people that signed that deal. And hopefully, this will all get worked out."
Without Harrison signing the NFLPA licensing agreement, fans are not able to play as the Cardinals wide receiver on Madden video games and are unable to purchase his jersey or any licensed merchandise that involves Harrison.
Harrison is the only receiver in Ohio State history to have two 1,000-yard campaigns. He has the sixth-most receptions (155), the sixth-most receiving yards (2,613) and the third-most touchdown catches (31) in program history.
Harrison was the only Ohio State player to be selected in the first round of the 2024 draft. He was a two-time All-American, a Biletnikoff Award winner and a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2023.
Get more Ohio State football news by listening to our podcasts
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Marvin Harrison Jr. NFLPA licensing standoff about Fanatics, per report
