Ohio State Buckeyes WR Marvin Harrison Won't Sign NFLPA Licensing Deal ... Yet
Former Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver and soon-to-be NFL draft pick Marvin Harrison Jr. apparently has his own agenda for making it at the next level.
Harrison didn't work out at the Combine, he didn't even meet with reporters there. Then he refused to work out at Ohio State's Pro Day.
What gives, MHJ?
Now, on the heels of surprising some by even showing up at Thursday's NFL Draft, he has yet to sign his NFLPA licensing agreement. That means his jersey, face and name won't appear in the Madden video game - at least until he signs.
And, all things being equal, he might not ever sign.
If he doesn't, that means he retains his full rights to those intellectual properties. He could sell his own jersey with full exclusivity, and it would allow him to work out his own deal with EA Sports to appear in their video game.
While NFL players are required to join the players union, they're not required to sign the licensing agreement for it. It's similar to the new-ish NIL (name, image, and likeness) deals that he signed with the Buckeyes in college.
Harrison Jr. is expected to be one of the top - if not the top - wideout taken in Thursday night's first round of the NFL Draft.
And, just as he's done all offseason, he's marching to the beat of his own drum with regard to himself as a product for the NFL. And it looks like it's working pretty well.