Designer Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, was granted a licensing deal with the NFL, the league confirmed to Newsweek in an email Tuesday.
The league offered no further details on Juszczyk’s deal.
The news came in the wake of a viral moment earlier this month when Taylor Swift wore a jacket she designed to the Kansas City Chiefs win over the Miami Dolphins. Juszczyk designed coats for Swift and Brittany Mahomes, wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick, prior to the AFC Wild Card round, and Swift wore the jacket to the game.
In the aftermath, Juszczyk posted her process of making the coats, calling it a “pinch me” moment when she saw Swift and Mahomes in them.
Juszczyk made a coat for Simone Biles as well, whose husband Jonathan Owens plays for the Green Bay Packers. She also sewed herself a jacket with her husband’s name and number, as well as a play call, before the NFC Championship Game.
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Newsweek reached out to Juszczyk’s representation by email requesting comment on her new deal.
Kyle Juszczyk told The Athletic earlier this month that the reaction after Swift wore his wife’s coat has been “happiness, appreciation.”
Juszczyk has been careful not to break the NFL’s licensing rules to date. A week ago, she posted an Instagram story with a photo of a Chiefs coat being sold by a third party with a cautionary message.
“Hii everyone! I just want to say that I am not selling any of these jackets. It’s not legal and I need licensing in order to do that. We’re trying to figure out how to get these to you all but in the meantime please be smart and don’t partake!” she wrote.
The NFL’s licensing process is lengthy and complicated. To become an official vendor, a business must first gain three years of manufacturing experience. They must then secure a minimum of $100,000 to meet the royalty guarantee required by the league (and manufacturers must pay the royalty guarantee every year). Annual sales must cover the guarantee before generating any revenue.
The manufacturer must also have a liability insurance policy, and it must apply for pre-qualification on the NFL’s website with detailed information about the company, experience, a business plan and other information. Additionally, the league requires manufacturers to submit two years of audited financial statements and tax returns, an annual report, product catalog or sell sheets, and a credit reference from a financial institution.
In exchange, a manufacturer is able to create products with the NFL Marks, which include the shield logo, the words “Super Bowl” and “Pro Bowl” (and their logos), and team names, nicknames, colors, symbols, emblems and helmet/uniform designs.
Juszczyk will have one more huge opportunity for free advertising: The 49ers, with their win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday, advanced to the Super Bowl to take on the Chiefs on February 11.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.