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Today’s Case

Brady Brand rolls out Michigan collection, led by Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy

Tom Brady, the former Wolverine quarterback and seven-time Super Bowl champion, brings his Brady Brand to Ann Arbor by launching a Michigan collection with the college’s official retail merchandiser M Den.

The launch is being headlined through an NIL deal featuring current Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who is featured on Instagram wearing Brady Brand clothing and talks about what the former Michigan star means to him.

McCarthy: “Defying the odds, he (Brady) proved it to everyone. Even if you aren’t the biggest, fastest, strongest. You can be one of the best. … What greatness means to me is being the absolute best version of yourself so you can inspire others to be the best version of themself. If everyone strives to be the best they can be, the world is going to be a better place. That’s greatness to me.”

This isn’t Tom Brady’s first NIL deal; last year, he brought on Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders as the brand’s first long-term ambassador. Sanders has appeared in campaigns and made public appearances for the company.

The Brady Brand launch isn’t limited to McCarthy, as it also features several UMich athletes: gymnast Sierra Brooks, tight end Colston Loveland, hockey player Rutger McGroarty, forward Tarris Reed Jr. and linebacker Junior Colson are all starring in content promoting the merchandise release.

The Verdict

• Former athletes giving back to their alma maters via NIL is outstanding

  • Of course not pro every athlete has the level of success that Tom Brady has, but that shouldn’t stop them from giving back to their schools while benefitting current athletes via NIL.

    • Additionally, these athletes can hopefully learn from Brady in terms of leadership, mentorship and other NIL avenues, while helping to build their brand away from sports.

• Tapping in to athletes across various sports is valuable

  • Love to see the launch was not solely for McCarthy, and that multiple Wolverine athletes are leveraging their NIL to be part of Brady Brand.

  • More brands should leverage athletes from different sports (both men’s and women’s) at the same school to create a strong NIL campaign. Doing so broadens the reach of both the brand and athlete while making for great crossover content to help athletes tap into each other’s audiences.

• Who is next?

  • Hopefully there are current and/or former athletes who will want to follow suit to create a brand and give back to their alma mater via NIL.

    • Michael Jordan already does this in various forms, and former Oklahoma football walk-on Chris Hammons is providing every Sooner football walk-on an opportunity to earn NIL money.

Long term > Short term

While one-time deals can be valuable, student-athletes should build long-term relationships with brands. This video tells you why!

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