The number 8 isn’t just a digit—it’s a heavyweight champion in the sports arena. Picture this: Lamar Jackson, the NFL’s electrifying MVP, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s beloved icon, both laying claim to this numeral like it’s the last slice of pizza at a Super Bowl party. Yep, it’s getting spicy. But what’s the issue here? See, Jackson (known for his Era 8 brand), challenged the NASCAR legend’s attempt to trademark a stylized version of the number. The reason?

Well, the Ravens‘ QB believes that this move could blur the lines between their brands, leading to potential confusion. The kicker? Oh, it’s not Jackson’s first rodeo. Oh no. He previously contested similar trademark bids from none other than the Cowboys legend, Troy Aikman. And to make this all interesting, Aikman has just entered the chat now.

Let’s cut to the chase. On Saturday, Sports Illustrated posted a picture on their IG handle about the ongoing dispute between Jackson and Earnhardt and reported that the two had resolved their conflict. “Dale Earnhardt Jr., Lamar Jackson bury hatchet in brief trademark dispute,” they wrote in their post. And that’s where Aikman comes in.

See, right after all that went down, Aikman commented on that post, and let’s just say the NFL legend advised the Ravens QB, writing, “Lamar getting bad counsel. (I) Went through the same legalities with him. Who’s next?” He commented. And to make this spicier, he recently shared it on his IG story as well. Guess too many players are eight-ing in here, right? And let’s be real—Aikman isn’t wrong.

See it this way: Jackson’s been donning the No. 8 jersey throughout his career and later established his brand, ERA 8. And that’s where things got pretty interesting. Back in July 2014, Jackson went after FL101 Inc., a company tied to Aikman, all because they tried trademarking the word “EIGHT.”

And Lamar? He wasn’t having it. He felt it could totally confuse folks, making it look like Aikman’s merch was part of his whole ERA8 vibe. The catch? Well, Aikman’s doesn’t actually use the digit “8”. In fact, the NFL legend spells out in capital letters “EIGHT.” However, Jackson believes that it could confuse the customers who are purchasing ERA 8 products.

While FL101 owns nine trademarks with the term “EIGHT,” Jackson reportedly challenges FL101 just for apparel and bags. According to his appeal, Lamar “has expended considerable time, effort, and expense in promoting, advertising, and popularizing the number 8 in connection with his personality and fame [and] is well-known by this number due to his notoriety and fame, along with his promotion of this number in his trademarks and in media coverage.” 

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Lamar’s attorney argued that the two-time MVP QB filed the trademarks before Aikman and the Cowboys’ legend’s products are “highly similar in sound, appearance, connotation, and commercial impression.”

Fast forward, and the same thing happened. This time, it was against the NASCAR legend, Dale Earnhardt Jr. The catch? While the Jackson-Earnhardt dispute has been resolved, no doubt. But the trademark dispute between Jackson and Aikman remains unresolved. So yeah, when Aikman said that Lamar’s getting bad counsel, he isn’t just talking the talk. If the same goes on, don’t be shocked if there is another dispute regarding Lamar’s ERA 8 brand.

Lamar Jackson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. trademark dispute finally resolved

By now, it’s safe to say that No. 8 has become a badge of honor not just in the NFL, but in the sports world. From Kobe Bryant’s early Lakers days to Alex Ovechkin’s “Great Eight” moniker and from Lamar Jackson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. both staking their claims, No. 8 carries weight and there’s no doubt about that. But the trademark disputes because of this number were surely a plot twist no one expected.

Last year, it was Jackson-Aikman dispute and this year, it’s Jackson-Earnhardt Jr. Jackson challenged the trademark application by Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a stylized version of No. 8. Jackson’s arguments? For starters, he claimed in his submission that he’s associated with No. 8 because of his NFL status. Second, the Ravens’ QB contended that Dale’s efforts could falsely imply the connection between these two stars. Lastly, consumers could be mistaken for the merchandise offered by these two brands.

“(Earnhardt Jr.’s) mark falsely suggests a connection with persons, living or dead, namely, Lamar Jackson, who is well known by the number 8,” the filing said. Let’s get to the core of it. See, Earnhardt Jr. and No. 8 have been a thing since the 1990s. That’s when he kicked off his NASCAR Cup Series journey, driving for DEI — yep, that’s Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team owned by his legendary dad, Dale Earnhardt Sr., a seven-time champion.

However, after the death of his dad in 2001, Earnhardt Jr.’s stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, took control of DEI. And even after DEI faded out, Teresa Earnhardt held onto the trademark for the No. 8. Fast forward to 2024 and that’s where things got pretty interesting. Last year, she let it quietly expire without renewing it. That was Dale Jr.’s cue. He reclaimed his OG number—the same No. 8 he’s still rocking in short track late model races today.

But Lamar Jackson didn’t challenge Dale Jr. for a particular No. 8, with a font so associated with Earnhardt Jr. Nope. In fact, the Ravens QB challenged a second No. 8, also slanted but in a different font. And Lamar’s filing claimed that it would lead the customers to, “mistakenly believe the products (Earnhardt Jr.) offers under the mark 8 are related to the products and services provided by (Jackson).”

The kicker? Well, Lamar filed the trademark dispute on April 2, and less than a week later, the dispute was already resolved. The result? It was a subtle surrender from the NASCAR legend. “Through the USTPO, we successfully secured the rights to the stylized 8. Therefore, we will be moving away from the original JRM 8 we have used since 2019,” Earnhardt Jr. shared on his social media handle. However, there’s no timeline for when the trademark dispute between Lamar Jackson and Troy Aikman will resolve.