"They will drop him when he loses to Michigan again" - CFB fans roast Jeremiah Smith on signing Adidas deal despite Ohio State's Nike partnership

Jeremiah Smith’s surprise decision to sign an Adidas NIL deal, despite playing for an Ohio State program deeply tied to Nike, is more than just a headline; it’s a signal that individual athlete brands now carry real leverage against even the biggest corporate-university partnerships.

Smith’s choice, rooted in nostalgia for the three stripes he says he’s worn since age 10, clashed immediately with Ohio State’s $252 million Nike contract that runs through 2033.

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NEW: Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith has signed an NIL deal with Adidas🔥

Fans mocked him online, warning Adidas would ditch him:

“They will drop him when he loses to Michigan again,” a fan wrote on X.

“So is he able to wear adidas cleats while at OSU?,” another asked.

“Get your deals in before you lose to Michigan buddy,” one wrote.

Screenshot, via X

“Winners don’t sign with adidas. Destined to FAIL!” one wrote.

Other fans wrote:

“Nike all time fumble,” one wrote.

“Odd to see an Adidas NIL at a Nike school. So, will he wear specialized jersey patches during games, or will he just have adidas gear on before and after games? This is all just semi-pro ball now. Too bad,” another wrote.

For Adidas, landing Jeremiah Smith, challenges Nike

For Adidas, landing Jeremiah Smith is a statement that they’re willing to challenge Nike’s entrenched grip on major programs by betting directly on individual stars, just as they’ve done with Patrick Mahomes and Trevor Lawrence.

For Nike, it’s an embarrassing miss on an in-house generational talent they should have locked down early.

If more college stars follow Smith’s lead, schools with massive apparel deals could find themselves increasingly sidelined in their own locker rooms. The next wave of NIL might not just reshape athlete earnings, it could reshape how companies like Nike, Adidas, and others compete for mindshare in college football.

In the end, “Three Stripes for life” may prove less about Smith’s shoes and more about how this new era lets athletes outgrow their program’s logo altogether.