Shedeur Sanders is a Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback who has followed in his father’s footsteps by signing a deal with Nike. His father, Deion Sanders, the head football coach at the University of Colorado, signed for Nike in the 1990s, resulting in the creation of his own signature shoes.
Sanders later parted ways with Nike and began a long-term relationship with Under Armour. However, he made a return to Nike in 2023, and the new partnership birthed his own collection of footwear, such as a new version of the “Varsity Maize” Nike Air DT Max ’96, Complex reported.
According to Andscape, Shedeur Sanders’s deal makes him the first NCAA football player to sign an NIL (name, image, and likeness) deal with the footwear and apparel brand. The deal comes on the eve of Sanders’ final college football season and brings him firmly into the fold of what he calls the “family business,” Andscape wrote.
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According to a report by On3, the NCCA football player is currently valued at $4.7 million. His potential to grow into a big brand is not in doubt. It is therefore not surprising that Nike made the move to get him before any brand.
Shedeur Sanders hopes to build on his father’s legacy with this partnership.
“I would want to build on it,” the University of Colorado football player said on his podcast “2Legendary with Shedeur Sanders.”
“Have a different version, concept because I feel like it’s more, like now, just looking at life and looking at everything, it’s more about like you know generational it’s more about what could be passed down year after year after year…rather than everybody starting up they whole new wave because there’s no real substance behind it.
“Everything that’s great has to have a story behind it. Every great players has to have a story behind it. So I feel like when it comes to design and anything like that like it always has to have a great story behind it.”
Meanwhile, Nike released the Air DT Max 96, a signature shoe originally made for Shedeur Sanders’ father to coincide with the signing of the Colorado Buffaloes star quarterback.
