The M Den releases 'huge drop' of exclusive signed J.J. McCarthy memorabilia
The M Den has released exclusive autographed merchandise from Michigan Wolverines football junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy, including game jerseys, helmets, footballs, photographs, t-shirts, hats and other items.
McCarthy has agreed to an exclusive autograph rights deal with The M Den and Valiant Management Group, the leading sports marketing agency representing U-M student athletes.
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A signed jersey is selling for $120, while a full-sized Michigan winged helmets with McCarthy’s signature are going for $750 and $1,000. Signed game-action photographs of McCarthy are on sale for over $100.
McCarthy has signed several NIL deals, including with Bose, Dunkin’ Donuts and other brands, but also prioritizes philanthropy and giving back. Since 2021, the Michigan quarterback has donated over $30,000 to children’s hospitals in both Ann Arbor, his hometown of Chicago and other Big Ten cities.
McCarthy has an On3 NIL Valuation of $836,000. He has 203,000 followers on Instagram, 59,000 on Twitter and 903 on TikTok.
A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation establishes the overall NIL market and projected 12-month growth rate by measuring two categories, Brand Value Index and Roster Value Index.
J.J. McCarthy’s smiley face signature
McCarthy’s signature includes the same smiley face he draws on the back of his left hand for every game.
“That started my sophomore year in high school, and it was the first game that I lost,” McCarthy explained in an appearance on the Rich Eisen Show. “It was a brutal game, not going to lie. Nothing was going our way, and I was pretty pissed off throughout the whole game.
“I was signing autographs at the end for a lot of the kids. And this little girl — I was signing her paper, and she said, ‘Why’d you look so mad out there? It didn’t look like you were having any fun.’ It was one of those conversations that didn’t feel real, because it was really profound for this young girl.
“She was just like, ‘you need to smile more. You need to have fun.’ And she kept saying that, and she drew a smiley face on my hand when I gave her the Sharpie back.
“From then on, I was like, you know what? It’s really that simple: You perform your best when you’re having fun. When you’re stressed and resisting your own inner world, then things are going to be out of whack and not aligned with your performance and your optimal play.
“From then on, I just kept a smiley face on my hand. We went undefeated, won the state championship that year, and I was just like, you know what? This is a really subtle, small gesture that will be very profound later in life, being able to spread positivity in any way I can.”
