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McDonald's releases NFL figurines, overtly flips star players' skin colors

Just in time for football season (and the release of Madden NFL 15 on August 26), McDonalds' next series of Happy Meal toys will be NFL figurines. And while the toys have the official NFL and Madden license, it doesn't look like they have the NFL players' license — because none of the figurines look like their real life counterparts. 

It's especially noticeable for stars whose skin color has been flipped. For example, in real life, the quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts is Andrew Luck, who's white. The figurine though...

Andrew Luck McDonald's figurine

Here's the black Drew Brees.

Drew Brees McDonald's figurine

And here's white Richard Sherman.

Richard Sherman McDonald's figurine

It's actually refreshing to see McDonalds go colorblind and create these alternate reality NFL stars. Usually, when a company releases a sports toy/video game without proper licensing, they offer knockoff characters like NBA Live's "Roster Player," a bald-headed athletic black shooting guard for the late '90s Chicago Bulls.

- Ben Sin

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