Former Cowboys Star Slams Nike for Losing Jeremiah Smith To Arch-Rival
The world of NIL is shaped not only by the colleges creating budgets to fill their roster, but the product endorsement deals and sponsorships that can begin a lifelong connection.
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The way Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods became synonymous with Nike that type of partnership, because of the NIL market, can come to fruition with a young college athlete.
One such deal that's already making waves is the agreement reached by Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and athletic apparel juggernaut Adidas.
On Wednesday, Adidas announced their deal with Smith and the 19-year-old wideout posted "Three Stripes for life" on his X account.
But with every move, there are detractors. Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was quick to throw shade on social media by questioning how Nike missed out on making a deal with Smith.
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"Nike about to lose all credibility. How did they lose Jeremiah Smith to Adidas?" read Bryant's post, which received more than 250,000 views and over 2,600 likes.
Smith joins several big-time football players already associated with the brand, including Patrick Mahomes, Micah Parsons, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Travis Hunter, and Abdul Carter. Last year, Adidas signed several NFL rookies, including Rome Odunze, Michael Penix Jr., Adonai Mitchell, and Xavier Legette.
Jeremiah Smith with a rose in his mouth after a win over Oregon.© Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Nike has partnerships with several current and former NFL players like Aaron Donald, Odell Beckham Jr., Russell Wilson and Saquon Barkley.
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Nike also sponsors the Ohio State football team. In 2020, the school agreed to a $252 million sponsorship extension, which takes the deal through the 2033 season. Smith will continue to wear Nike this upcoming season because of their deal with Ohio State.
Related: Jeremiah Smith Faces Backlash From Michigan Fans Over Hateful Comment
Related: Ex-Michigan QB Delivers Verdict on Ohio State's Julian Sayin
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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