• Loading stock data...
Thursday, October 9, 2025
exclusive
Deals

Source: Baker Mayfield’s Deal With CBD Company Sparked NFLPA Letter

  • Mayfield’s recent deal with a CBD brand led player reps to speak out, source says.
  • The NFLPA sent a letter to members warning CBD deals could break collectively bargained rules.
Ken Blaze/USA TODAY Sports

The timing between Cleveland Browns star quarterback Baker Mayfield’s deal with a CBD brand on Oct. 13 and a note sent out by the NFL Players Association about potential rule violations for dealings with “cannabinoid products” two days later wasn’t a coincidence, a source told Front Office Sports.

The email from the NFLPA noted the union had  “received several inquiries regarding NFL players’ ability to engage in promotion and endorsement of CBD companies.” A person with knowledge of those inquiries said they came from agents and marketing reps upset about Mayfield’s deal with CBD company Beam to become a brand ambassador. Mayfield had previously invested in Beam through his Camwood Ventures fund.

An NFLPA spokesperson didn’t immediately provide Front Office Sports with a statement.  Bleacher Report’s Master Tesfatsion was the first to report circulation of the letter.

CBD, short for cannabidiol, can be derived from hemp or marijuana, the latter something that if a player previously tested positive for would have resulted in suspension. However, that was changed in the most recent collective bargaining agreement between the NFL and NFLPA earlier this year.

CBD can have trace amounts of THC, the compound that gets you high. Hemp-based CBD has lower THC levels. Beam’s products come from hemp and the company uses a process to eliminate all THC from its products, according to its website.

Under the agreement between the NFL and the NFLPA, players are prohibited from endorsing or appearing in ads “for alcoholic beverages, tobacco, or cannabinoid products.”

The NFLPA wrote in an email distributed on Oct. 15: “As a result of this language, player endorsements of cannabinoid products are not advised by the NFL Players Association.”

Another source with knowledge of the agreement told Front Office Sports the league didn’t raise the issue with the NFLPA. It remains unclear what punishment, if any, players would face for endorsing a CBD product. 

Mayfield wasn’t even the first player to endorse the product, although his deal appears to have been a tipping point as the third-year pro has landed several high-profile endorsements.

Mayfield x Beam

Baker Mayfield Takes Marketing Star Power to CBD Brand Beam

Baker Mayfield is CBD brand Beam’s latest athlete ambassador, building on an…
October 13, 2020

Tight end Rob Gronkowski endorsed a CBD product in December 2019. He was retired at the time before he un-retired to join Tom Brady with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season. Gronkowski is still featured on CBDMEDIC’s home page and he’s touted the brand on his Instagram account since joining the Bucs.

Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins invested in BioSteel Sports Nutrition in September, part of a multi-year endorsement agreement. Patrick Mahomes, Ezekiel Elliott and Jalen Ramsey are also BioSteel brand ambassadors. While the company produces several CBD products, none of the athletes ambassadors are touting CBD products and CBD products aren’t even listed on BioSteel’s official site. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Hymie Elhai

Jets Say Execs Tried to Sink Team President in Bumbling Conspiracy

The team says thousands of deleted text messages show the plot.
exclusive

Bud Selig: ‘Remarkable’ Brewers Run Can’t Mask MLB’s Money Divide

The former commissioner lauds his hometown team while raising economic concerns.

NFL and College Football TV Ratings Continue to Surge, Especially for CBS

The network’s singleheader coverage Sunday drew huge viewership.
Jonathan Gannon

Cardinals Fine Coach Jonathan Gannon $100K for Striking Player

Demercado made a costly mistake in the Cardinals’ loss to the Titans. 

Featured Today

Paul Cartier

Sports Organists Are Still Thriving in the Era of Raucous Arena Music

“When they walk out and they see a real organ guy, it’s like, ‘Wow.’”
Sep 27, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Jackson Chourio (11) rounds the bases after hitting a home run during the sixth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field.
October 4, 2025

Milwaukee Moneyball: Brewers Are Beating MLB’s Deeper Pockets

Milwaukee is holding its own against big-budget competitors.
Kōloa Rum Company Rum Rusher
September 27, 2025

Panthers Bubbly, Jets Wine, Manning Whiskey: The Sports Booze Boom

A sommelier dives into the sports booze trend—and tries Jets wine.
Nov 17, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers fans wave Terrible Towels against the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium
September 26, 2025

Steelers’ Irish Roots Are Deeper Than NFL Dublin Game

The Steelers have history and the foundation for a future in Ireland.
Louisville’s Miller Moss and several of his teammates stopped by Olympus Gaming Lounge to play EA Sports College Football 26 with fans for a meet and greet. July 11, 2025

Saudis, Silver Lake, Jared Kushner Take EA Private in $55B Deal

Electronic Arts makes “Madden,” “EA Sports College Football,” and more.
Apr 26, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet (5) before game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center.
June 25, 2025

Rockets Get $20 Million in Wiggle Room From New VanVleet Deal

VanVleet first signed with the Rockets in 2023.
July 6, 2025

American Celebs Want to Be Sports Owners. Soccer Is Where They Start

As U.S. team prices climb, investors set their sights abroad.
Sponsored

How Jenny Just Is Shaping the Future of Sports Ownership

Jenny Just on bringing her investment experience to sports ownership.
June 24, 2025

Timberwolves’ 4-Year Ownership Saga Ends As A-Rod, Lore Take Over

The unanimous approval brought a clean end to a long-disputed transaction.
April 20, 2025

Max Verstappen Linked to $300M Aston Martin Deal Ahead of Miami GP

Aston Martin is currently seventh in the constructors championship.
March 27, 2025

Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions Gets PE Boost

The Hall of Famer’s company gains another prominent backer.
March 20, 2025

High School Sports Power Signs Eight-Figure Rights Deal in First

The deal pays roughly $1 million annually, FOS has learned.