Nike signed three Ohio State football players to individual NIL deals—wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., defensive back Bo Jackson, and linebacker Jermaine Mathews Jr.—even as the school's $252 million institutional contract with Nike faces pressure from Adidas in the broader collegiate market.
The signings place Nike athlete branding on current roster players while Ohio State's team-level apparel agreement runs through 2033. Henry, the son of former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chris Henry, arrived on campus as a four-star recruit from West Virginia. Jackson and Mathews both enrolled in the 2023 class. None of the three has appeared in a regular-season game as of the announcement. Nike does not disclose individual NIL payment terms, but comparable deals for non-starters at Power Four programs range from $15,000 to $50,000 annually, depending on social reach and projected draft position.
The timing matters because Adidas is actively recruiting schools in Nike's Midwest territory. The German brand signed Notre Dame away from Under Armour in a $90 million deal last year and is positioning for renewals at Michigan (2027 expiration) and Penn State (2028). Ohio State's current Nike contract, signed in 2016, pays the school approximately $16.8 million per year in cash and product. That figure trails Texas ($23 million annually from Nike) and trails what Adidas has offered in recent pitches to Big Ten athletic directors, according to two people familiar with the conversations.
Nike's individual NIL strategy lets the company lock relationships with players before they reach the NFL draft, independent of institutional contracts. The Swoosh signed 72 college athletes to NIL deals in 2023, then added another 41 in the first half of 2024, per company filings. Ohio State now accounts for at least three of those names, though the school's compliance office does not publish a full NIL registry. That compares to Adidas's 28 active collegiate NIL contracts, most concentrated at Louisville, Miami, and Arizona State—schools where the brand already holds team rights.
For Ohio State, the split creates optionality. If the athletic department declines to renew with Nike in 2033, players under individual NIL deals could remain with the brand through the NFL draft, maintaining recruiting appeal even under a rival team contract. If the school renews, Nike deepens its campus presence at minimal incremental cost. The structure also insulates the company from NCAA collective-bargaining risk: individual NIL agreements survive roster turnover and transfer-portal movement, while team contracts depend on enrollment continuity.
The three signings follow Nike's broader retrenchment in team sports. The company exited its MLB uniform contract after 2019, ceded MLS jersey rights to Adidas in select markets, and reduced its NBA athlete roster by 11% in the past 18 months. College NIL offers a lower cost-per-impression than professional endorsements—Nike pays Zion Williamson approximately $75 million over seven years, while a college rotation player costs a fraction of that for similar social engagement among 18-to-24 demos.
Watch whether Nike signs additional Ohio State players before the August fall camp, when transfer-portal additions finalize and snap-count projections clarify. Also watch the January 2025 athletic director meetings in Indianapolis, where several Big Ten schools will hear apparel pitches ahead of contract expirations. Adidas has already scheduled presentations at four campuses, per two conference sources.
Ohio State plays its season opener on August 30 in Columbus, wearing Nike uniforms it has worn since 1998.
The takeaway
Nike locks three Ohio State players individually as Adidas recruits Big Ten schools away from institutional deals expiring through 2028.
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