During Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season, Jordan Brand athlete Jalen Hurts took the field for his Philadelphia Eagles and secured a 27-13 victory over the Steelers while wearing a mismatched pair of Air Jordan 11 cleats. Jalen Two-Shoes received plenty of coverage on social media, even by the NFL itself, for this bold fashion choice in a league often criticized for lacking expression and “fun” on the field. However, the NFL decided to fine Hurts $5,628 for violating the rule, “A player may wear shoes that are black, white, or any Constitutional team color, or any combination of black, white, and a Constitutional team color.”
Jordan Brand decided it would pay Hurts's fine, stating, “We’re paying the fine. You can’t ban greatness.” This incident with Hurts almost mirrors Jordan Brand’s founder and namesake, Michael Jordan, who the NBA famously fined for wearing the Nike Air Ship in a black-red color scheme. Back then, Nike would pay the uniform violation fine each game and used this “banning” of his sneakers as a clever marketing ploy that helped build allure around Michale Jordan’s sneakers.
Before joining Jordan Brand in 2023, Hurts often took the field wearing Air Jordan cleats. Once he was officially part of the family, they would craft plenty of special PE colorways for him to wear. Pairs Hurts has taken the field in multiple colorways, including the Air Jordan 4, Air Jordan 1, and most famously, the Air Jordan 11.
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Sneakerhead from South Florida who turned his passion into a career. Concerts, music, trying new restaurants, and catching the latest movies are some of the things I enjoy when not writing for Sole Retriever. Email: nick@soleretriever.com
