Kicks

J.J. Watt Wears Polarizing Air Jordan Sneakers

Arizona Cardinals defensive end J.J. Watt wore Air Jordan 1 Mid shoes before Monday Night Football.

Pat Benson

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Last night the NFL went international once again with a game played in Mexico City. Unfortunately for fans, the game was a snoozer. The San Francisco 49ers blew out the Arizona Cardinals 38-10.

Arizona's defense got burned by 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. Even worse, Cardinals defensive tackle J.J. Watt might have committed a fashion faux pas before the game. Check out the Cardinals' tweet of Watt's pregame outfit and see if you can spot it.

The 3x NFL Defensive Player of the Year wore Air Jordan sneakers - but arguably the wrong kind. Let us preface this analysis by repeating that there are no wrong choices when it comes to footwear. As long as the person wearing the shoes feels good, that's all that matters.

However, Watt wore a pair of Air Jordan 1 Mid sneakers. The low-top and high-top versions of the classic silhouette are widely accepted. However, sneakerheads have turned the Air Jordan 1 Mid into a meme in recent years. Below is what fans need to know about Watt's kicks.

Air Jordan 1 Mid 'Tan Gum'

White and tan Air Jordan shoes.
View of the Air Jordan 1 Mid in 'Tan Gum' colorway / Nike

Watt wore the Air Jordan 1 Mid in the 'Tan Gum' colorway. The shoes were released in September 2021 for $120. According to StockX, the shoes now have an average resale price of $180.

The old-school basketball shoes feature a white leather upper with tan overlays and Swoosh logos. It is a sharp colorway - most Air Jordan 1 Mid colorways are better than their counterparts. However, it remains a polarizing sneaker in the footwear world.

We want to hear your thoughts on the Air Jordan 1 Mids. Give us your hottest takes on Twitter. In the meantime, stay locked into FanNationKicks.com for news, highlights, and analysis.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Previously, he has reported on the NBA, authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)," and interviewed some of the biggest names in the sports world. You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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