Marvin Harrison Jr. could be excluded from Madden 25 for declining NFLPA licensing contract
The Arizona Cardinals' rookie wide receiver opted not to sign the preliminary licensing deal on draft night.
Prior to the start of the 2024 NFL Draft last night, ESPN insider Adam Schefter reported that Marvin Harrison Jr., the top wide receiver prospect in this year’s rookie class, had decided not to sign the NFL Player’s Association’s preliminary licensing deal. This means that the NFL cannot sell jerseys for the Cardinals’ rookie wide receiver, and he can’t be featured in EA Sports’ upcoming Madden NFL 25.
The news of Harrison Jr.’s decision not to sign the NFLPA licensing contract came just via a Schefter tweet a few hours before the start of the NFL Draft yesterday. Harrison Jr. went on to be drafted number four overall by the Arizona Cardinals. While players are required to join the NFLPA union, they are not obligated to sign any licensing deals.
EA Sports has yet to officially announce Madden NFL 25, but we can assume that the next installment in the series will arrive late this summer. As things currently stand, EA Sports will not have the rights to use Marvin Harrison Jr.’s name or likeness in the game. It wouldn’t be the first time a high-profile NFL name was omitted from the football sim series. Former New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick was notably omitted from many Madden games as he refused to provide the rights to his name and likeness.
It’s still possible that Marvin Harrison Jr. could end up signing the NFLPA’s licensing deal. He could also opt to work out an independent deal with EA Sports to get himself into the video game. Regardless, it’ll be an interesting situation to monitor as we get closer to Madden NFL 25’s official reveal.
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