How Adidas Upset Nike to Win NFL Super Bowl LVIII

Adidas continues its monster year by dominating headlines throughout Super Bowl week.

When was the last time both starting quarterbacks in the Super Bowl wore adidas cleats on the field? Better yet, when was the last time adidas dominated the conversation in football the way it has throughout 2024?

Despite being one of the most recognizable brands on the planet, adidas is an underdog in American professional sports. 

Nike has locked up the uniform rights to all three major sports and slapped garish oversized Swoosh logos on the team's uniforms. Additionally, Nike sponsors over half of the NFL, MLB, and NBA athletes.

Adidas seems comfortable, maybe even happy to play the role of scrappy underdog looking to disrupt the status quo. Look no further than the last two weeks, when the brand employed a mix of new and old marketing tactics that outmaneuvered and overpowered its competitors.

Patrick Mahomes' adidas ad on the Sphere in Las Vegas / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Every major company made the trip to Las Vegas in hopes of grabbing headlines for the Super Bowl, and they were greeted with a futuristic video of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the Sphere. 

From there, adidas activated two events: a star-studded athlete's panel followed by a field day with local kids and the official launch of Mahomes' second signature footwear and apparel collection.

Athletes and fans got their first look at the adidas Mahomes 2, which will be available for purchase starting February 2024. You can read our full story of the launch event, which includes official campaign images and product descriptions.

The adidas Mahomes 2 / adidas

Scoring points off the field is one thing, but running up the score on the field is far more important. Both starting quarterbacks wore the adidas Freak Ultra. No ankle tape concealing the three stripes and plenty of scrambling showcasing the footwear's playability.

Purdy wore the adidas Freak Ultra 21 in a clean white and red colorway. Mahomes laced up a player-exclusive white and red colorway of the adidas Freak Ultra 23. A quick search on the adidas website shows the models sold out as of this morning.

Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy wearing adidas cleats / USA Today

While the game ended, adidas was not finished. Before the confetti even started flying after the overtime thriller, adidas rolled out a video highlighting Mahomes' historic achievement.

The official adidas Football account posted an Instagram video showing Mahomes on and off the field set to the tune of De La Soul's classic song "The Magic Number." Adidas congratulated Mahomes on his third championship, which, as De La Soul said back in 1989, is the magic number.

After winning his third championship, Mahomes was asked if it was a dynasty. The 3x NFL Super Bowl MVP replied, "It’s the start of a dynasty. We’re not done." 

Mahomes is right, he and the Chiefs are just getting started - and so is adidas. Stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for all your footwear news from the sports world.

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