Multnomah County jury calls draw in Odell Beckham Jr.'s case against Nike
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In a legal battle involving NFL player Odell Beckham Jr. and Nike, a Multnomah County jury determined that neither party had committed the claims against them.
The Miami Dolphins wide receiver sued the company for more than $20 million in November 2022, claiming it had breached their contract.
Court documents show that Beckham Jr. and his company Royalty Only signed a three-year endorsement deal with Nike in 2014. Attorneys alleged that rival brand Adidas offered the athlete a multi-million-dollar contract in 2017, but the Oregon sportswear giant then matched the offer.
Five years later, the lawsuit against Nike claimed the company breached its contract with Beckham Jr. by withholding royalties and failing to provide him with Player Edition shoes and other apparel.
In response, the brand countersued him for $12.3 million in January 2023. Attorneys accused the football player of violating his contractual obligations by repeatedly sporting gloves that Nike did not advise him to wear during games.
Court documents depict photos of Beckham Jr. wearing Nike gloves with the well-known “Swoosh” covered by Chrome Hearts' logo.
Nike’s representatives additionally said Beckham Jr. breached his contract when he filed the lawsuit, thus disclosing the financial terms of the agreement.
In the ensuing court case, the jury found that the football player hadn’t violated his contract by wearing modified gloves. The jury also determined that Nike hadn’t committed any wrongdoings. In the end, neither party was compensated.
“With this verdict, all of Mr. Beckham’s claims have been decided against him without any monetary award,” Nike said in a statement. “The decision confirmed that Nike complied with its commitments. Nike is grateful to the jury and the Court for their careful attention to this case.”
Based on an Instagram photo captured outside of the Multnomah County courthouse, the football player also seems content with the outcome.
“I wanna thank the jury for simply doing what’s right in a world full of wrong…” Beckham Jr. wrote, in part. “My message to whoever needs this is, STAND UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN! JUSTICE WAS SERVED!!!
KOIN 6 has reached out to his attorneys for comment.