Michigan Quarterback McCarthy to Wear Custom Jordan Cleats in Rose Bowl
When Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy hits the iconic Rose Bowl field on New Year's Day, he will be doing so in style. The No. 1-ranked team's signal caller will be sporting custom Jordan Brand cleats designed by Ann Arbor's own Jada Henderson, known professionally as Jada From The Block.
If that surname sounds familiar to the Wolverine quarterback, it's because Jada's husband LaDarius protects McCarthy's blindside as Michigan's All-Big Ten left tackle.
McCarthy - who was a finalist for both the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Manning Awards - commissioned Henderson to update his Jordan 1 cleats with roses on the heels for the Wolverines' New Year's Day date with Alabama.
"I drew up five or six different ideas of one rose, multiple roses and different placements and this was the one he liked the most," Henderson shared with Sports Illustrated. "He likes things to be pretty simple so that’s what we went with."
Henderson grew up all around football - her dad is former NFL quarterback Jon Kitna and her five brothers all played - while honing her artistic skills drawing, painting and photographing. It wasn't until she was an undergrad equipment manager at Arizona State and saw an Instagram video on customizing sneakers, that she put her two passions together.
What started out as a side project led to a big break with Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who had Henderson customize some Jordan sneakers for Christmas gifts. That project led to Prescott commissioning Henderson to style up some of his on-field cleats, which ultimately turned her side-hustle into a full-time gig.
From cleats for players around the NFL to Nashville Soccer Club-inspired Jordans for team co-owner Reese Witherspoon and her family, Henderson's client roster extended far and wide.
When her then-boyfriend now-husband transferred from Arizona State to Michigan for his last year of football eligibility, Henderson returned to the Great Lakes State and began creating for Wolverine players, including a "Those Who Stay" collection of Jordans for NFL Draft-eligible players who returned this season, paying homage to the famous Bo Schembechler quote "Those Who Stay Will be Champions."
The pair for McCarthy will be her only cleat on-field at the Rose Bowl - her husband spats his cleats, so doesn't utilize a potential family discount on customizations - but should Michigan beat Alabama and advance to the National Championship, expect to see more cleat designs from Henderson.
"I wouldn't doubt that there would be something interesting that we would do," she added, "I have some designs to pitch."
