It is a blow that was surely hard for him to swallow.
For it has emerged NFL star Russell Wilson is being sued in connection with an edible ball business.
The Seattle Seahawks quarterback has been named in a lawsuit in which disgruntled former employees of a company called ‘Eat The Ball’ allege they have not been paid their wages. The former Super Bowl champion has been dragged into proceedings due to his status as a minority shareholder in the company, for which he served as spokesman.
Yeast and desist: Russell Wilson is being sued over his edible balls business it has emerged
According to TMZ, former managing director Joseph Carter and ex-marketing specialist Bridget Botting have submitted legal papers against the bread company.
Carter claims his starting salary was $170,000, while Botting says she was earning $85,000 per year.
As the lawsuit alleges, they were not paid on several occasions, and have not received any money at all since July.
The degree to which Wilson is involved with the company remains unclear.
A representative of the 29-year-old star said: ‘Russell was simply an ambassador for the company at one point, but no longer has any active involvement. He simply has nothing to do with this situation and has no knowledge of the current status of Eat the Ball.’
Talking balls: Russell has been boasting about the frozen bread as the brand spokesman
Making a point: But former employees claim Eat The Ball has not paid their wages
Russell has previously appeared in videos where he espoused the greatness of his balls, which come in all shapes and sizes.
Among those offered are footballs, baseballs, basketballs and even soccer balls.
Speaking about the frozen treats, he boasted: ‘It’s 100 percent all natural, which is amazing!’
Variety is the spice of life: Russell’s balls come in all shapes and sizes
Wilson will earn a base salary of $12.6 million this season and is reportedly worth over $120 million, thanks to his other business interests
According to the company website, it makes the ‘bread of a new generation’ and is ‘vehicle for a new technology: The innovative pro.ferment.iced® production process.’
It also says the Austrian company was formed in 2012 after ‘five years of research and development’ into bread.
Russell, who has a base salary of $12.6 million, has been married to pop beauty Ciara since July 2016 and their daughter Sienna was born in April.
The devout Christian is also a dedicated charity worker who makes weekly visits on his days off to the Seattle Children’s Hospital.
Wilson is the founder and CEO of Good Man Brand and West2East Empire, which he described to USA Today as a brand management company. His other business interests include equity in a frozen-food company called Luvo, an organic food retailed named Juice Press, and he also serves as a senior editor for The Players Tribune, which is a website launched by former Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. Wilson’s net worth is reportedly north of $120 million.
Breadwinner: The star quarterback is married to pop beauty Ciara
Wilson Ciara pose backstage during the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Sports Awards 2016