Fanatics has now included Marvin Harrison Sr. in its legal battle against Arizona Cardinals rookie Marvin Harrison Jr.
The clothing company refiled its lawsuit against young Harrison on Friday, according to ESPN’s Josh WeinfussThe new complaint included his father, the Hall of Fame wide receiver, and alleged that he “aided and abetted” his son’s fraud against the company.
Fanatics first filed a lawsuit against Harrison Jr. in May, alleging that he breached a contract they had entered into in 2023 and that he had “publicly represented” that the contract did not actually exist. In the new complaint, Fanatics claims that the two defendants “willfully misled Fanatics into believing that there was a binding contract between Harrison Jr., his company, and Fanatics, and that Harrison Jr. had signed that contract.” It also claims that Harrison Sr. “further led Fanatics to believe that Harrison Jr. had signed the binding term sheet.”
According to the report, Fanatics was led to believe that the original contract was negotiated with Harrison Jr. through his father and that Harrison Jr. would sign it. However, Harrison Sr. allegedly signed the contract. The company said the signatures of the two men bore a “striking resemblance.”
In May 2023, Fanatics originally reached a deal worth at least $1 million with Harrison Jr. that included autographs and game-worn apparel, among other things. The company has long claimed he failed to honor that agreement. In a July affidavit, according to the report, Harrison Jr. said he “never intended to be personally bound by the Binding Term Sheet and I am not personally bound by it.” Harrison Jr. and Sr. both said in affidavits that Harrison Sr. was the one who signed the binding term sheet.
Harrison Jr. does not have an agent and was represented by his father. The Cardinals selected Harrison with the No. 4 overall pick earlier this offseason, while he was at Ohio State. Harrison also has not signed a licensing deal with the NFLPA, and his jerseys are still not available for purchase by fans.
Harrison had over 1,200 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in each of his last two seasons with the Buckeyes. He played briefly in the preseason for the Cardinals but didn’t catch a ball. Arizona, which went just 4-13 last season, opens the year against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 8.