Marvin Harrison Jr. has taken a very unique approach in the months leading up to the NFL Draft, and another interesting detail about the star wide receiver emerged hours before the first round on Thursday.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Harrison had not signed the standard preliminary NFLPA licensing agreement as of Thursday afternoon. The agreement, which is signed by almost all NFL prospects, allows players to profit from their name and likeness prior to signing a contract with a team.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has yet to sign a preliminary NFLPA licensing agreement that all draftees typically sign, which would allow his name and likeness to be monetized after he is picked tonight and before his NFL contract is signed, per sources. His jersey will not be available…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 25, 2024
If Harrison does not sign the licensing agreement, his jersey will not be available for fans to buy. He also would not be able to appear in video games like “Madden,” among other things.
There have been some coaches and players throughout the years who cannot appear in video games because of licensing agreements. Former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is the most famous example, as he has always been replaced with a generic figure in “Madden” because he is not part of the NFL Coaches Association. Barry Bonds used to be replaced with a generic slugger in MLB-branded games for a similar reason.
Harrison’s decision to not sign the NFLPA licensing agreement is yet another example of how he is doing things differently from most of his peers. He also skipped several pre-draft workouts, though he recently explained the reason for that.
It is possible Harrison could still sign a licensing agreement after being drafted, but fans will not be able to buy his jersey for now.
