When former U-M star Charles Woodson realized Michigan’s Adidas contract was about to expire, his brain began churning.
Woodson, who endorses the Jordan Jumpman Brand, thought: Why not have Michigan become the first Jordan Brand football school as part of a Nike contract?
So he texted the only person who could answer that: Michael Jordan.
Jordan told Woodson he could approach Michigan with the idea. So Woodson brought it to interim athletic director Jim Hackett.
“I ran with it from there,” Woodson said Tuesday, leading to the nearly $174-million, 15-year deal signed with Nike in July 2015.