Just hours after Papa John’s parted ways with the NFL, Pizza Hut has signed on as the league’s new official pizza company.
The deal reportedly runs through 2021, one year longer than the original Papa John’s deal.
"The NFL and pizza appeal to the same demographic, which is everyone," said NFL's senior vice president of partnership and sponsorship management Renie Anderson. "Fans watch our game and they do it around a pizza box. That's why it's one of the most important categories in sports sponsorship."
With more than 7,500 stores, Pizza Hut is the largest pizza chain in the country.
"Having one of America's classic brands like Pizza Hut happily come aboard in an important sponsorship category is another reminder of the continued power of the NFL," Jaguars owner Shad Khan, who is chairman of the league's business ventures committee, said in a statement.
Pizza Hut has no current deals with individual NFL players, but has used Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo and Terrell Owens to promote products in the past.