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Tennessee WR Mike Matthews Talks New Adidas Deal For the Volunteers

“I loved it because they’re going to make us a priority,” said Matthews.  
Najeh Wilkins|
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (4) during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 31, 2025.
Tennessee wide receiver Mike Matthews (4) during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 31, 2025. | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

On Wednesday, Tennessee signed a massive apparel deal with the iconic Adidas Brand that will give the Tennessee creative team full control of jerseys and apparel. The deal is also very player-driven to help players maximize their earning potential. Players are chiming in on the new 10-year deal that Tennessee struck with Adidas, and are excited for what the future holds.  

Per Fox Sports Knoxville, here is what sophomore wide receiver Mike Matthews had to say about the deal.

“I loved it because they’re going to make us a priority,” said Matthews.  

Players are expected to get a piece of the 100 million deal, per Yahoo Sports Ross Dellenger. Here is more of what adidas vice president had to say per Yahoo Sports. 

“The arms race was originally about facilities,” said Chris McGuire, adidas Vice President of Sports Marketing for North America, while speaking with Yahoo! Sports. “Now it’s gone to rev-share and NIL. We want to make sure we provide opportunities to our partners that are competitive in the marketplace so they’ll have competitive teams on the field.”

Tennessee players have to be stoked knowing their school looked out for their best interest in the deal and are trying to help them profit the most from the deal. It will now only help them on the football field, but also in their next stage of their careers and life beyond football.

The deal is one of the first seen structured in this way and likely won’t be the last. Tennessee made some history on Wednesday and can be the precedent moving forward for college athletics with how programs structure contracts with apparel brands.

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Najeh Wilkins
NAJEH WILKINS

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