Before being selected as the fourth pick in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, Marvin Harrison Jr., a standout wide receiver from Ohio State Buckeyes, had not yet finalized his agreement with the NFL Players Association for licensing. ESPN’s Adam Schefter disclosed this information last week. According to reports from Colin Gay of The Columbus Dispatch and Chris Rosvoglou of The Spun, Pat McAfee suggested on “The Pat McAfee Show” that Harrison might not be entirely satisfied with the NFL’s partnership with Fanatics, a manufacturer and retailer.
McAfee elaborated, stating, “This centers around a deal that’s apparently being offered to college sophomores with a recognizable name by a company called Fanatics. It seems there was an offer presented to Marvin Harrison Jr. when he was a sophomore in college, as often happens with many players, where if you sign it—a card deal, an autograph deal—it spans four years, extending into your second year in the NFL. Marvin Harrison, who isn’t in dire need of the money, reportedly declined the offer, saying, ‘We’re not accepting that deal. We won’t sign it.'”
As highlighted by observers like Mike Florio from Pro Football Talk, Marvin Harrison Jr.’s likeness won’t feature in “Madden” video games until he finalizes his licensing agreement. Moreover, official jerseys bearing Harrison’s name are not yet on sale.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Fanatics website displayed the following notice on the Arizona Cardinals’ team page:
“ATTN Arizona Cardinals fans: Presently, Fanatics and other retailers cannot provide Marvin Harrison Jr. merchandise until he completes a licensing agreement with the NFLPA. Products will become available immediately upon his signing.”
It appears that Marvin Harrison Jr. isn’t nearing a resolution to sign the agreement anytime soon.
McAfee elaborated during the show segment, stating, “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. And there’s a lot of people that signed that deal. And hopefully, this will all get worked out.”
Harrison made waves when he opted not to participate in workouts at the NFL Scouting Combine and Ohio State’s pro day ahead of the draft.
Despite Marvin Harrison Jr. taking an unconventional approach this spring, Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort emphasized during a Wednesday appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio, as reported by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk, that the team had sufficient evaluation of Harrison to warrant selecting him with the fourth overall pick.
Harrison’s independent actions thus far haven’t seemed to diminish his prospects as an NFL player. As suggested by Florio, there remains a possibility that Harrison will maintain control over his rights and negotiate deals directly with companies like Electronic Arts.