Lamar Jackson abruptly ends yearlong legal battle with Troy Aikman

Lamar Jackson is waving the white flag.

After more than a year of negotiations, Jackson withdrew his challenge to Troy Aikman’s trademark use of the No. 8, according to records from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office detailed by ESPN.

Aikman and his company filed for these trademarks in 2024, and Jackson, who owns trademarks involving the number, filed the challenge in July of that same year, according the report.

His attorney, Andrea Evans, reportedly filed a motion to withdraw it without consent of the Hall of Famer’s team Monday.

The opposition claim was agreed to be dismissed by the Patent and Trademark Office’s appeal board Tuesday, according to ESPN.

“Lamar is withdrawing this saying it’s with prejudice,” Josh Gerben, a trademark attorney at Gerben Law, told ESPN. “Meaning I can never file this again, and I’m not even having the consent of the defendant.”

The initial issue for Jackson was Aikman and his company FL101’s use of the word “EIGHT” on a variety of apparel, bags, beer and energy drinks, as the Ravens quarterback reportedly had previously trademarked multiple usages of the number, such as the phrases “Era 8” and “You 8 yet?”

In the opposition filing, Jackson argued that the usage of “EIGHT” could confuse fans and consumers when buying products.

Jackson’s recent withdrawal will now allow FL101 to use the branding it applied for last year.

Gerben further told ESPN that it’s unknown if Aikman’s and Jackson’s camps have come to an agreement of their own due to a lack of information.

“The withdrawal of Mr. Jackson’s oppositions was voluntarily done by Mr. Jackson in the wake of some TTAB (Trademark Trial and Appeal Board) decisions that have gone against him,” Aikman’s attorney Brad D. Rose wrote in an email statement to ESPN.

“In my view, these ‘with prejudice withdrawals’ are an acknowledgement that Mr. Jackson’s claims were an overreach and should never have been brought in the first place.”

Jackson’s stance against Aikman isn’t his first.

His attorney has taken a number of trademark oppositions since November 2023 against various former No. 8 athletes, including Aikman and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Other star No. 8 athletes included the late Kobe Bryant, Cal Ripken Jr. and Steve Young.