After previously appearing in a BRADY apparel campaign, the Jackson State Tigers QB now becomes the brand’s first-ever individual athlete signing.
BRADY, the apparel brand from Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, announced a name, image, and likeness partnership with Jackson State signal-caller Shedeur Sanders on Thursday. The deal marks the first time ever that BRADY Brand has signed an individual athlete. Details of the NIL partnership were not revealed.
Sanders will have input in areas like product development and wear testing, and will additionally be outfitted in BRADY gear for upcoming games during Jackson State’s ongoing football season.
In January, Brady Brand had selected 10 athletes — nine of whom were then still in college — to lead the campaign to launch the fashion label. Sanders was notably included in that campaign. The HBCU quarterback has previously named Tom Brady as one of his biggest influences on the field in an interview in April. Sanders also told Boardroom at the time of his intentions to venture into the worlds of modeling and fashion.
“I’m so excited to work with the BRADY team. Tom has been a longtime mentor to me both on and off the field, and I’ve been a fan of his apparel brand since its inception, so this partnership feels like a natural next step. I couldn’t be more grateful and excited to join the list of world-class athletes that represent the brand,” said Shedeur Sanders in a statement.
BRADY Brand is just the latest of lucrative NIL deals Sanders has inked. In September the Jerry Rice Award winner signed a deal with PLB Sports and Entertainment to produce his “#2 BBQ Sauce.” Even before he added that flavor to his game, Sanders had already signed pacts with both Gatorade as its first HBCU athlete and Beats by Dre as its first college football player and youngest overall endorser. During the season, Sanders gifted his Tigers teammates with Beats headphones stylized with Jackson State colors and logos.
“Shedeur Sanders is the perfect ambassador for BRADY,” Tom Brady said in a release. “He embodies everything we look for in a BRADY athlete, and his character and values align perfectly with our brand. Not only is he an exceptional football player and quarterback but he is one of the most influential players of his generation, and we’re thrilled that he’s officially joining the BRADY family.”
Sanders is estimated to be worth $1.2 million on the NIL market according to college sports network On3, which ranks him No. 9 among college football players and the 14th overall among all athletes on the list — and with Jackson State undefeated on the season as of this writing thanks in large part to Sanders’ stellar play, that valuation should not be expected to stand still.
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