Lamar Jackson (L), Odell Beckham Jr. (M), Tom Brady (R); Image Credits- USA TODAY Sports
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. recently reached a significant milestone in his $20 million lawsuit against Nike, marking a “win” in his legal battle with the renowned sports brand. Although Beckham didn’t receive a paycheck, he still found reasons to celebrate on social media and unexpectedly received support from former NFL QB Tom Brady and Ravens playmaker Lamar Jackson.
Taking to Instagram, Odell posted an update with a picture of himself with his legal team and penned a long write-up. Firstly, he thanked God for guiding him through the woes. Next, the NFL WR gave all the credit to his lawyers for their efforts and praised the jury for maintaining fairness.
Through his write-up, Beckham also pushed others to speak out about what they believe in and fight for it. He also cleverly played on Nike’s slogan “Just Do It” by writing “DO…RIGHT Nike,” subtly calling out the sports brand.
Once OBJ’s update surfaced online, Brady and Jackson showed their support by liking the Instagram post
Although Brady initially partnered with Nike when he first entered the NFL, he later collaborated with Under Armour in 2010. Interestingly, the former QB has been occasionally seen wearing classic Nike shoes, like the Air Force 1 model, even though he isn’t officially sponsored by the brand anymore. And, in the case of Jackson, the Ravens QB doesn’t have any deal with Nike whatsoever.
Looking back, Beckham’s lawsuit in 2023 stemmed from his allegations that Nike violated their contract by withholding royalties. The LSU alum also blamed Nike for stopping the production and promotion of his signature products to avoid contract extensions and higher royalty payments. As a result, Beckham was seeking more than a million dollars in compensation for royalties and potential lost earnings.
Whereas, Nike argued that they fulfilled all obligations and alleged that Beckham violated the contract by modifying equipment without authorization and revealing information. Nike even sought damages ranging from $7 million to $15 million for these supposed breaches.
However, the jury ultimately announced that neither Odell nor Nike definitively violated the contract. Consequently, the NFL star did not receive the damages he was seeking, and Nike’s counterclaim was also unsuccessful. Now, in a potential response to Beckham Jr.’s long Instagram post, Nike released a statement regarding the much-awaited verdict.
Here’s What Nike Said After Beckham Jr.’s Celebratory Post
https://x.com/Oindrilaahere/status/1814312182533984641
After Beckham Jr.’s recent public celebration of his win against Nike, the footwear company strategically responded to protect their reputation. In an official statement to ‘Complex Sneakers,’ a Nike representative expressed gratitude to the jury and the court for their review of the case, noting that all of Mr. Beckham’s claims were dismissed without any compensation.
“With this verdict, all of Mr. Beckham’s claims have been decided against him without any monetary award. The decision confirmed that Nike complied with its commitments. Nike is grateful to the jury and the Court for their careful attention to this case.”
While Beckham framed the outcome as a moral and spiritual victory, Nike’s statement seemed intended to clarify that, legally and financially, the court’s ruling did not favor him. That said, Odell had a long-standing partnership with Nike since 2014 before things turned sour with the iconic brand.
