Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack may not be getting an extension from the Raiders this year, but he has found someone willing to give him a new contract.
In a bit of marketing synergy that makes so much sense that it’s surprising it took three years in the NFL for it to happen, Mack Trucks announced a partnership with the Raiders star on Wednesday. Mack will help the company promote the “next-generation highway truck” it is launching on September 13.
While Mack’s name and rugged playing style make him an obvious fit, Mack Trucks V.P. of global marketing and brand management John Walsh said there were other reasons why joining up made sense.
“This partnership makes sense on a number of levels,” Walsh said. “We obviously share the same name, but what really brought us together was shared values -- the fundamentally American values of hard work, honesty and humility. In fact, he reached out to us at the same time that we were talking about reaching out to him.”
Name-related endorsements have been all the rage in the NFL this offseason. Cowboys defensive end Taco Charlton and Chargers guard Forrest Lamp have also landed deals with companies that capitalize on their names in recent months.