NFL free agent Odell Beckham Jr. has filed a $20 million lawsuit against Nike, claiming the Oregon-based company screwed him out of millions.
According to court documents obtained by TMZ, Beckham claims that after his original Nike deal expired in 2017, he considered taking his talents to Adidas, which offered a more lucrative contract. The lawsuit claims Nike said they’d match the deal, not wanting to lose OBJ as key talent. However, it was later discovered in the fine print that the deal wasn’t matched.
Beckham Jr. says his relationship with Nike started to go left in March 2022 when he was due a payment of around $2.6 million. He said Nike withheld more than $2 million of the payment, which he later learned was because the company claimed he committed footwear and glove violations when he altered his equipment at the end of last season. OBJ insists he did not commit violations and only made the customizations because Nike did not provide him with cleats to match the colors of his new team. In regards to the gloves, OBJ claims he always customizes the equipment to fit his “high fashion brand” and Nike never had previous issues with him doing so. The football star believes Nike created these penalties to pressure him into signing a less lucrative deal with the brand. However, he’s now suing to collect.
The wide receiver said in a statement Monday, “Being a Nike Athlete and Brand Icon was a dream I’ve had since being a young boy. I wanted to be the next Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson, LeBron James or Kobe Bryant in the Nike Family. When Nike exercised its right of first refusal to match the Adidas offer and not only kept me as a Nike Athlete, but also made me one of their Brand Icons—my dream had been fulfilled. Unfortunately, Nike did not honor its commitments. Throughout our partnership, I have kept my promise and fulfilled my obligations to the brand. I am extremely disappointed that I’ve had to take these measures to ensure Nike fulfills their obligations and promises.”
He continued, “Today, I’m taking a stand not just for me, but to set a precedent for all athletes who have dedicated their life to the sport they love—especially those who don’t have the means to stand up for themselves. We are held responsible for fulfilling our obligations under our contracts, but we also have to hold powerful companies like Nike accountable for honoring their commitments too. I look forward to resolving this issue and hope we can start a real conversation about protecting athletes and their rights. This happens too often in the sports industry and it’s time for change. As this is now a legal matter, please refer any questions to my attorney, Daniel Davillier.”
