Kicks

Travis Kelce Debuted Gold Air Jordan Cleats Against Bills

Jordan Brand designed player-exclusive Air Jordan 11 cleats for Travis Kelce.

Pat Benson

Nov 17, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) leaves the field after warm ups before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium.
Nov 17, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) leaves the field after warm ups before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium. / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images
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The highly anticipated showdown on Sunday between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills did not disappoint. Buffalo ended Kansas City's perfect record with a cathartic win in front of their home crowd.

A big part of Buffalo's game plan involved neutralizing Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The NFL Pro Bowl tight end only caught two receptions for eight yards and zero touchdowns.

While Kelce's performance was lackluster, his footwear was anything but forgettable. Before the game, Kelce rocked the Air Jordan 11 in the "Legend Blue" colorway. Then, during the game, Kelce debuted a player-exclusive colorway of Air Jordan 11 cleats.

Kelce's cleats were clearly designed by Jordan Brand and not a custom artist. It further adds fuel to the fire that Kelce is potentially leaving Nike for Jordan Brand after the season.

Kelce's player-exclusive colorway sported a gold upper contrasted by red detailing, including the Jumpman logo and numbers on the heel. Kelce loves the Air Jordan 11 as a sneaker and a cleat. He has worn the "Concord" colorway every game this season. It was part of his $7,000 pregame outfit.

Unfortunately, Kansas City's first loss and his worst performance came while he wore these beautiful kicks. Even more disheartening, Kelce's player-exclusive colorway will never hit shelves.

At 35 years old, Kelce's star power has never been higher, and his output on the field has never been worse. If Kelce is positioning himself for a sneaker deal with Jordan Brand, his stats this season will not help with negotiations.

Kansas City is still well-positioned to make another run at the Super Bowl, and Kelce has plenty of time left to improve his play while flashing his incredible kicks.

Week 11 of the NFL regular season continues with more action tonight and tomorrow night. Fans can follow Sports Illustrated's Kicks On SI for all their footwear news from the NFL and beyond.

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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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