Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs have filed a lawsuit against former defensive end Damon Wilson II, seeking $390K in damages. The lawsuit has to do with the alleged breach of an NIL contract by Wilson.
Why Are Kirby Smart’s Bulldogs Suing Damon Wilson?
Damon Wilson and Georgia agreed to a 14-month NIL deal worth up to $500,000. It was supposed to be paid with $30,000 monthly payments on top of two $40,000 bonuses.
Wilson received his first payment of $30K but weeks later, he transferred to Missouri. Because of leaving early, Georgia claims that Wilson’s contract’s “liquidated damages clause” became active, requiring him to pay back the remaining $390,000.
The program has even reportedly transferred the rights to seek damages from NIL Collective to UGA’s athletic department.
“When the University of Georgia Athletic Association enters binding agreements with student-athletes, we honor our commitments and expect student-athletes to do the same,” athletics spokesperson Steven Drummond told ESPN on Friday.
What Damon Wilson’s Attorney Said Against Georgia?
Damon Wilson has hired Missouri-based attorneys Bogdan Susan and Jeff Jensen to fight this lawsuit on his behalf. Susan claimed that all Wilson wants is to play football and that UGA didn’t treat him well.
“After all the facts come out, people will be shocked at how the University of Georgia treated a student athlete,” Susan said. “It has never been about the money for Damon; he just wants to play the game he loves and pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.”
Meanwhile, UGA has asked the court to compel submission to arbitration and resolve this suit.
If Georgia succeeds in their lawsuit against Wilson, they will set a precedent of embedding such clauses in the NIL agreements for other schools to follow.
But for that to happen, Georgia needs to find reasonable cause for demanding $390K in liquidated damages since these types of clauses are not legally binding or are not the primary reason for someone to break out of a contract.
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