“On my Catholic background, I said a quick Hail Mary and and Our Father for him during that time.”īridgewater was replaced by former starter Lock, who finished the drive with a 25-yard touchdown toss to Tim Patrick that briefly put Denver ahead 10-9. “Relieved that he’s doing well,” Fangio said. As Bachie was helped off a minute later with a leg injury and ruled out, Bridgewater came to as he was rolled over and strapped onto a body board to be carted off the field.Īs he was being transported via ambulance to a hospital, the Broncos said he had movement in his arms and legs and would be evaluated for a head injury. The crowd quieted as Bridgewater and Bachie lay on the ground and their teammates gathered around, some kneeling. His marketability went up, no question.States report heavy betting on this year's Super Bowlīridgewater lay motionless, his arms bent awkwardly. But the price to land DeAndre Hopkins went up. This is going to be a play of the year candidate. It's not going to dictate future results, but this is not going away. "When OBJ, when he did that catch, every kid out there wanted to emulate him," Smallwood said. This is magnified further because of the upcoming holiday season, when online sales are expected to soar. That would then allow Nike to use the images in both promotional material, as well as in any future apparel they could design, for example T-shirts with a silhouette of the image of Hopkins hauling in the catch.īut, even if Nike cannot sign Hopkins, Smallwood said he expects children and young football players to increasingly ask their parents to buy them the Jordan Brand gloves for their own athletic competitions. Though the millions gained in media value don't represent actual revenue gains for Nike, Smallwood said there are steps the brand can take to turn the viral moment into an influx of cash.įor starters, Nike could look to negotiate and sign Hopkins to an apparel deal. A player's ability to garner reach and exposure is one of them and DeAndre showed he can provide that with this moment." "There are a number of factors a brand will consider when entering into an apparel deal with a player. "Strong on-field performance will encourage more exposure across media channels, which is appealing to apparel sponsors," Emily Lofton, vice president of properties at Wasserman told USA TODAY Sports. Tied for second in the NFL in receptions (67), ranked second in receiving yardage (861), and having hauled in four scores, Hopkins has built a reputation within the league as one of the most consistent receivers and one who often puts up highlight-reel-worthy grabs. But this season, he has used Jordan Brand apparel, both with his gloves and his cleats. Hopkins previously had a relationship with Adidas, a deal he signed in 2016. Smallwood also said that the timing of Hopkins' catch, coming at the end of the in-demand late afternoon slate of games on Sunday also increased exposure. We have just seen the cataclysmic rise of social media and the reaction and constant exposure and the life span of these things continue to grow." "Social media is much bigger than it was in 2014," Smallwood said. 23, 2014, while he was a member of the New York Giants, created an exposure for Nike of $2.2 million, Smallwood said. made in a game against the Dallas Cowboys on Nov. The "Jumpman" logo of the Nike Jordan Brand, in honor of NBA legend Michael Jordan, is the iconic silhouette of him dunking the ball.įor comparison, the catch Odell Beckham Jr. "From a marketing standpoint, it has to be a dream for Jumpman (Jordan Brand) and Nike." "There's no better brand to capture the act of what he did of jumping and catching that ball in the air," Smallwood told USA TODAY Sports. That calculation is made through a combing of exposure on television, online and print media and social media – essentially, any visual media that show the catch.Įric Smallwood, the president of APEX Marketing Group, said that with viral events like these, the value only continues to grow as time passes and more images are shared.