Jerick McKinnon's Super Bowl Cleats Honored Kobe Bryant

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon wore cleats inspired by Kobe Bryant's shoes in Super Bowl LVII.

Super Bowl LVII was a game for the history books. While both teams deserved to win, the Kansas City Chiefs edged out the Philadelphia Eagles, thanks partly to a heads-up play late in the game.

Instead of running into the endzone, Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon slid down at the 1-yard to keep the game clock moving. It is only fitting that McKinnon made a clutch play, given the custom Nike cleats he wore during the big game.

McKinnon wore a pair of custom cleats designed to look like a pair of the most iconic shoes from Kobe Bryant's signature line. Artist and designer Mache recreated a pair of McKinnon's cleats to closely resemble the Nike Kobe 8 in the 'What the Kobe' colorway.

Football players can try to commission a pair of custom cleats to look like the Chiefs running back. However, Bryant's multi-colored shoes remain more elusive than ever. Below is everything fans must know about the shoes that inspired McKinnon's cleats.

Nike Kobe 8

A detailed look at the Nike Kobe 8 shoes / © Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

The Nike Kobe 8 'What the Kobe' was released in December 2013 for $140. The shoes sold out many years ago and now have an average resale price of $1,240, according to StockX.

During the heyday of Nike Basketball, the shoe created outlandish colorways that mashed together color schemes as part of the "What the" series. LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and of course, Bryant all got the treatment for their shoes at the time.

Despite their age, it is not uncommon to see the performance basketball shoes on the court during NBA games. The technology still holds up to today's standards, and the minimalist shoes help keep players light on their feet.

Hats off to McKinnon for an excellent game and embodying the "Mamba Mentality" on the gridiron. Before we know it, Kansas City will be back on the field to defend their Super Bowl title, and the team will have to count on McKinnon's savvy play.

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