Ezekiel Elliott, a former running back for the Dallas Cowboys, has initiated legal action against the NCAA and the Big Ten Conference. He claims they continue to use his name, image, and likeness without paying him.
The lawsuit, which has been reviewed by the California Post, centers around various highlights from Elliott’s college career at Ohio State University, which spanned from 2013 to 2015. These highlights are allegedly still featured on numerous NCAA platforms.
During his tenure at Ohio State, Elliott played a key role in securing the first College Football Playoff National Championship in 2014.
The complaint notes that Elliott has not profited from the ongoing use of these highlights, nor has he received any earnings from the sales of his #15 Buckeye jersey, which can retail for as much as $185.
The lawsuit asserts that while Elliott was at Ohio State, the Big Ten Conference saw revenues hitting $448.8 million, with Ohio State generating $167.2 million alone—a 32% rise from the year before.
Elliott is pursuing unspecified damages and seeks an injunction to stop the NCAA and Big Ten from enforcing agreements that he believes unjustly limit how much he can earn from the use of his name, image, and likeness.
Notably, Elliott isn’t alone in this; he joins Jameson Williams, a wide receiver for the Lions, who has also filed a suit recently. Williams accuses several organizations in Los Angeles County of similarly using his name and image without fair compensation.
Williams, who played at Ohio State before finishing his college football career at Alabama, is also looking for financial reparation and an injunction to prevent the unauthorized use of his likeness for any benefit.
