Source: Kevin Sabitus / Getty
Jalen Hurts’ partnership with Jordan Brand has quickly become one of the more visible and talked-about athlete endorsement pairings in the
NFL. Since signing in 2023, he’s leaned heavily into custom, player-exclusive (“PE”) cleat designs that fuse sneaker culture with his identity on the field. The cleats often draw from classic Air Jordan silhouettes, including 1s, 5s, and 11s. The majority of the time, they are reinterpreted in Philadelphia Eagles color schemes, with personal touches such as his logos, bold color shifts, or thematic concepts. For example, he’s worn retro Air Jordan 10 cleats in team colors to match his uniform.
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One of his more striking recent designs emerged during the postseason. Hurts donned a custom pair of Jordan 11 “Eagles PE” that featured a two-tone approach using white patent leather on the mudguard and heel, and green patent leather elsewhere, along with Hurts’ personalized logo on the heel tab. That subtle yet bold customization, which ties performance cleats to both his brand and his team, is a signature move. Another standout is his “Unbannable” Air Jordan 1 High ’85 cleats. The kicks borrow the classic “Bred” look and overlay an
“UNBANNABLE” bar across the Swoosh as a nod to the rebellious history of the sneaker.
Hurts has also occasionally pushed against NFL uniform rules, and that tension has produced headlines. In December 2024, he was fined $5,628 by the league for wearing mismatched cleats (one in “Midnight Green” and the other in “Kelly Green”), which violated the NFL’s dress code regarding cleats matching the “constitutional team colors.” Jordan Brand responded quickly, announcing that they would pay the fine, with the tagline “We’re paying the fine. You can’t ban greatness.” That move is reminiscent of Nike paying Michael Jordan’s fines in the ’80s. By doing so, Jordan Brand reinforces Hurts’ image as someone who straddles the line between compliance and creative expression.
Beyond just aesthetics or fines, Jalen Hurts cleats speaks to several bigger themes. It perfectly displays how star athletes now serve not only as players but also as style icons and brand storytellers. His choice of cleats becomes part of his narrative, tying together personal branding, team loyalty, sneaker heritage, and even occasional rule-pushing. As he continues to mature in his career, his cleat designs are likely to grow more ambitious. Perhaps we may see him collaborate with top customizers or push the edge of what’s allowed under NFL regulation. Either way, for fans of football and sneakers, Hurts is one of the most compelling figures currently walking the turf and we can’t wait to see what he has on his feet next.
Check out a gallery of some of Jalen Hurts’ most fire cleats to date. Let us know which ones are your favorites and if we have forgotten any!
