TEMPE, Ariz. — Apparel manufacturer Fanatics has refiled its lawsuit against Arizona Cardinals rookie receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., adding his father, former NFL star Marvin Harrison Sr., and fraud allegations in addition to breach of contract.
The lawsuit was originally filed in New York Supreme Court this spring, claiming Harrison Jr. did not fulfill his obligations from a May 2023 deal he signed with the retailer and estimated the damage in “millions of dollars.”
The amended lawsuit — filed Friday in the same court — adds that Harrison Sr. “aided and abetted Harrison Jr.’s fraud on Fanatics.” The company says that sworn affidavits from both Harrisons on July 31 reveal it was actually Harrison Sr. who signed the contract with Fanatics, acting on behalf of the Harrison Collection.
“Harrison Sr. intentionally signed the Binding Terms Sheet in such a manner in order to lead Fanatics to reasonably believe that Harrison Jr. was the true signatory when in fact he was not,” the suit states.
ESPN reported the deal was for at least $1 million for autographs, signed trading cards, game-worn apparel and other marketing opportunities.
Harrison Jr. was a star receiver at Ohio State when he signed the deal in 2023 and the Cardinals used the No. 4 overall pick to select him in the NFL draft. The receiver does not have an agent and has been represented by his father, Harrison Sr., who is a Hall of Famer after a 13-year career with the Indianapolis Colts.
Marvin Harrison Jr., the former NFL wide receiver and son of Hall of Famer Marvin Harrison, is facing a new lawsuit from Fanatics, a sports merchandise company. The lawsuit alleges that Harrison Jr. violated his contract with Fanatics by selling autographed memorabilia through a different company.
Fanatics, which is one of the largest sports merchandise retailers in the world, has an exclusive agreement with Harrison Jr. to sell his autographed items on their website. However, according to the lawsuit, Harrison Jr. began selling autographed memorabilia through a different company without Fanatics’ permission.
This is not the first time that Harrison Jr. has been involved in legal issues related to his autographed memorabilia. In 2018, he was sued by a different company for allegedly selling fake autographs. Harrison Jr. denied the allegations and the case was eventually settled out of court.
It is unclear at this time how Harrison Jr. plans to respond to the latest lawsuit from Fanatics. However, if he is found to have violated his contract with the company, he could be facing significant financial penalties.
Harrison Jr. had a successful career in the NFL, playing for the Indianapolis Colts for 13 seasons and earning numerous accolades, including eight Pro Bowl selections and a Super Bowl championship in 2007. Since retiring from football, he has focused on his business ventures, including his autographed memorabilia business.
It remains to be seen how this latest legal issue will impact Harrison Jr.’s reputation and business interests. Fans and collectors will be watching closely to see how the situation unfolds.