Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has filed a lawsuit against Nike over his final endorsement deal he signed with the apparel company. Beckham alleges the company owes him more than $20 million related to the endorsement deal.
In May 2017, Nice Kicks reported that Beckham had re-signed with Nike after exercising a clause that allowed Nike to match an offer Beckham had received from Adidas. Nike’s five-year contract was worth at least $29 million.
According to TMZ Sports, Beckham said in the lawsuit that the contract “was structured, it was almost impossible for him to trigger very valuable extensions to the deal.”
“Throughout our partnership, I have delivered on my promise and fulfilled my obligations to the brand,” Beckham said in a statement. “I am extremely disappointed that I had to take these steps to ensure that Nike delivers on its obligations and promises.”
Complex also reports that Beckham said in the lawsuit that Adidas was willing to pay up to $47 million in an endorsement deal for Beckham. An annual salary would have been between $3.2 and $4.2 million.
“Rather than continuing to pay the compensation and guaranteed royalties it is contractually obligated to pay to Mr. Beckham, Nike is deliberately withholding millions of dollars and making up excuses not to pay him,” the lawsuit states.
Beckham originally signed with Nike in 2014 when he was selected with the No. 12 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft by the New York Giants.
The star is currently a free agent after tearing his ACL while playing for the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl last season. ESPN reported on Saturday that Beckham is should sign with a new team by the end of the month with the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Giants among those he is considering.