Clay Matthews vs. Troy Polamalu

Battle of the Shampoo Endorsements

Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews and Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu have at least two things in common.  They are both great football players who will be playing against each other in Super Bowl XLV.  Both played college football at USC.  And both are known for their trademark long hair.  Now you can add more thing in common: both Matthews and Polamalu have contracts to endorse shampoos.

Troy Polamalu has had an endorsement deal with Proctor and Gamble’s Head and Shoulders shampoo for a couple of years now, but last summer P & G made headlines when it announced the company had taken out a $1 million insurance policy on Polamalu’s hair with Lloyds of London.  It’s not clear what kind of damage to the hair would qualify for a claim. Polamalu’s long hair is a tribute to his Samoan heritage.

Now Clay Matthews has his own shampoo deal.  Matthews signed a one year deal with Unilever to endorse the company’s Suave brand. No word on if Unilever will be taking out an insurance policy on Matthew’s hair.  Clay Matthew’s style of play—high energy and hard hitting—reminds us of another great Packers’ linebacker who played in the Vince Lombardi era.  That would be Pro Football Hall of Famer Ray Nitschke.  However, if Nitschke was playing today, he wouldn’t be in line for a shampoo endorsement — he was bald.