Nike must’ve thought they were getting ahead of the curve. Before the season kicked off, the brand bet big on LSU’s third-ranked Tigers making a national title run with QB1 Garrett Nussmeier at the center of it all. On paper, it looked like a winning move: new face of the program, Heisman chatter building, and the kind of hype machine Nike loves to align itself with. What they might not have factored in, though, is that Nussmeier is “clearly not healthy.” Hindsight’s a cruel friend, and right now, many are saying the Swoosh should’ve waited until September 27th to ink that deal. After the LSU Tigers’ 24-19 loss to Ole Miss, the chatter has shifted from Heisman to head-scratchers.
The postgame fallout was instant and loud. Jacques Doucet reported, “Garrett Nussmeier declined to answer any questions about his health or how he is feeling following loss to Ole Miss. #LSU.” That silence only fueled the noise, and fans wasted no time letting it fly: “Nike needs to pull @Garrettnuss13 nil deal what an embarrassment to their brand.” One even added, “He needs to be benched.” And perhaps the harshest of the night, “dont wear 18. He lacks mental toughness.”
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Tough crowd, tougher timing. Sometimes the endorsement game can be just as brutal as Saturdays in the SEC.