Kicks

The Nike Kobe 6 "Grinch" Football Cleats Arrive Before Holidays

Nike redesigned Kobe Bryant's most popular basketball shoes for the football field.

Pat Benson

Nike is turning the Kobe 6 "Grinch" basketball shoes into football cleats.
Nike is turning the Kobe 6 "Grinch" basketball shoes into football cleats. / Nike
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It is impossible to watch NFL games on Sunday afternoons without noticing a player wearing custom Nike Kobe cleats. Football players want to channel the "Mamba Mentality" with their footwear, so they hire custom artists to redesign their kicks.

The late great NBA legend Kobe Bryant had a highly successful signature sneaker line but never ventured onto the gridiron - until now. Nike has redesigned Bryant's most popular basketball shoe as a football cleat. Best of all, the brand is releasing it to the public.

Multiple views of Kobe Bryant's green Nike football cleats.
The Nike Vapor Edge Kobe 6 SE "Grinch" cleats. / Nike

The Nike Vapor Edge Kobe 6 SE "Grinch" is scheduled to be released at 11:00 a.m. EST on Thursday, November 28. Online shoppers will be able to purchase the football cleats for $230 in adult sizes on the Nike website and other select retailers.

Bryant made sneaker history when he debuted the Nike Kobe 6 "Grinch" against the Miami Heat on Christmas Day 2010. The basketball shoe was a smashing success and enjoyed a retro release in 2020. Three years later, the "Reverse Grinch" was released in limited numbers.

Despite undergoing technical tooling and new technology, Nike remained true to the Kobe 6 "Grinch" with its football version of the model. The silhouette sports a snakeskin-inspired upper in Green Apple, accented by bold black Swoosh logos and hits of Bright Crimson for the Christmas-themed colorway.

Detailed look at green and black Nike Kobe cleats.
The Nike Vapor Edge Kobe 6 SE "Grinch" cleats. / Nike

The performance model's legendary traction pattern designed for the basketball court has been replaced with a spike plate underfoot for flying around on the gridiron. As a sign of the holiday spirit, Nike is including an extra pair of red laces to help football players pop on the field.

Since relaunching the Kobe Brand, Nike and Vanessa Bryant have done a commendable job of meeting fans' lofty demands. They have increased supply, retold old stories for a new generation, and expanded into new sports.

Thanks to Nike, NFL players and younger athletes will not have to rely on custom cleats to represent Kobe on the football field. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all your footwear news from the sports world and beyond.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. 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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