Jalen Hurts Gave His Super Bowl Air Jordan Cleats to Young Fan
Everyone knows that the quarterback is the toughest position in sports. Not only must he lead his team on and off the field, but it often requires being the face of the franchise.
It's a rare sight to see an NFL quarterback manage all the responsibilities with such grace, but Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller, always shows up for his teammates and fans.
This past weekend, Hurts and many of his Eagles teammates supported wide receiver DeVonta Smith by participating in his celebrity softball game.
Hurts took it one step further by stepping out of his ultra-rare Air Jordan cleats, autographing them, and gifting the rare kicks to a fan. Below is the viral video from social media and a breakdown of Hurts' footwear.
Hurts wore the Air Jordan 11 in a player-exclusive colorway during the celebrity softball game. It is the same football cleats he wore against the New York Giants in the 2023 NFL season. More importantly, they were the cleats he wore during Super Bowl LVII.
Of course, the Air Jordan 11 was popularized by Michael Jordan during his heyday with the Chicago Bulls. The old-school sneakers have since been redesigned for football and baseball players.
The Air Jordan 11 cleats are a favorite among Jordan Brand's rapidly growing roster of NFL players. Hurts has worn the cleated version of the Air Jordan 11 in multiple colorways on the field and rocks the regular sneakers off the field.
As for the colorway, it took player-exclusive to a new level. Hurts' kicks featured a white upper, midnight green leather wrapped around the base, and the number 1 on the heels (Hurts' jersey number).
Jordan Brand only releases the Air Jordan 11 once or twice a year, so fans looking to purchase a pair of the retro hoop shoes must rely on sneaker resale websites like eBay, StockX, and GOAT.
It is safe to assume that Jordan Brand will hook Hurts up with plenty more cleats for the upcoming season. Football fans can follow Sports Illustrated for all their footwear news from the NFL and the rest of the sports world.
Rankings: The top ten cleats of the 2023 NFL season.
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.