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Today, Nike Football launched their new “Calvin & Johnson” campaign with Megatron and Diddy. While the commercial plays off an NFL superstar’s need for duality, Calvin Johnson’s signature silo plays to a similar theme. The Nike CJ81 Trainer Max is set be worn in NFL action this season in turf and cleated form, making Calvin Johnson one of the few Nike Football athletes to see such a sneaker release. In celebration of the wide receiver’s on-field to off-field shoe endorsement, we take a look back at the top Nike Football athletes to receive similar sneaker success by position.
Quarterbacks
Player: Brett Favre
Shoe: Nike Air Zoom Turf Jet
Repping more than Wranglers, Brett Favre felt comfortable in the Nike Air Zoom Turf Jet for much of the 1997 season. While the shoe is most associated with the Packer great, many of Nike’s top tier football players favored the Jets in turf and cleated form during the late ’90s.
Player: Michael Vick
Shoe: Nike Zoom Vick Line
Michael Vick made history with Nike by becoming the first football player since Deion Sanders to see a Swoosh-stamped signature line. The Zoom Vick series saw turf and cleated releases, being endorsed by the Falcons franchise player in the NFL all while gaining traction with amateur players on the field and fans off of it.
