Since 1984, Jordan Brand has been at the epicenter of performance. While its origins are rooted at the hardwood, the Jumpman has made its mark on the most significant stage across every sport — especially football.
Whether it be Ronnie Lott in the Air Jordan 4 “Bred” at the Super Bowl in ’89, Randy Moss debuting his Minnesota Vikings-themed Air Jordan 11 PEs, or even Tyrann Mathieu winning a ‘chip in 2020 with his Air Jordan 10 Low Cleats, the Jumpman and the gridiron go hand-in-hand.
Recently, however, Jordan Brand’s stake in football goes beyond performance and sport. Quarterbacked by the Jumpman’s longtime Head of Entertainment Marketing, Reggie Saunders, and with the help of Justin Timberlake, Travis Scott, Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, Outkast’s Big Boi, and J Balvin, the Super Bowl halftime show has served as a runway for the brand in recent years.
Ahead of Super Bowl LVIII and the halftime show that Usher headlines, we take a look at how Jordan Brand wins the Super Bowl every year.
And who knows, maybe Jordan Brand has an audible for Sunday.
Justin Timberlake and the Air Jordan 3 “JTH” at Super Bowl LII – 2018
Justin Timberlake and Jordan Brand set the foundation for what would become the Jumpman’s unmistaken presence at the Super Bowl and its halftime show. Timberlake, who performed his classics and even delivered an homage to the late Prince, appeared in a camo-heavy outfit as he debuted a single off his Man of the Woods album.
Though many were focused on the vocals and the wardrobe, Timberlake’s collaborative Air Jordan 3 made its way on stage and onto SNKRS. Shock dropping in limited quantities, the Air Jordan 3 “JTH” brought the ruckus.
The Air Jordan 3 “JTH” embodied Tinker Hatfield’s original design intentions for Michael Jordan’s third signature shoe. The “JTH” in the “White Cement”-inspired look donned a reflective bold lateral Swoosh and included both Timberlake’s and Hatfield’s signatures on the inner tongues.
While the Air Jordan 3 “Beige JTH” was also a hit, nothing topped the Super Bowl MVP.
Maroon 5, Travis Scott, and Big Boi at Super Bowl LIII – 2019
In an unlikely combination of stars, the Super Bowl LIII halftime show was unforgettable — especially for sneakerheads.
While no shock drop was included in the 2019 halftime show, both Travis Scott and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine gave us a glimpse of what was ahead within La Flame’s partnership with Jordan Brand. Oh, and Outkast’s Big Boi flexed on all of us.
On February 3, 2019, Adam Levine walked out on stage with the then-unreleased Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 High OG “Mocha” colorway with its pink laces. Joining him, of course, was Houston’s own Travis Scott in the also then-unreleased (and then-unseen) Travis Scott x Air Jordan 6 “Olive” and its glow-in-the-dark outsole. Big Boi not only rolled in in a slick whip but continued to stunt with the rare Air Jordan 3 “Tinker – Oregon” PE.
However, the lack of releases in 2019 didn’t take away from the halftime show. If anything, the anticipation and set of unreleased shoes intensified the desire for both Travis Scott’s Jordan Brand creations through the television screen rather than the phone screen.
The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 High OG “Mocha” would release a week later at Travis Scott’s 2019 Grammy’s performance. The collaborative AJ1 “Mocha” and the AJ6 “Olive” would see wider releases on May 11 and October 11, respectively. Fitting enough, the Air Jordan 6 “Olive” was rolled out with the help of Randy Moss.
Talk about getting Moss-ed.
J Balvin and the Balvin x Air Jordan 1 High OG at Super Bowl LIV – 2020
El Colombiano and Jordan Brand delivered a performance like no other in 2020. Of course, Shakira and Jennifer Lopez did their things on the stage. However, the colorful Balvin x Air Jordan 1 High OG stole the shoe.
For the first time ever, a Latino was given a collaborative Air Jordan 1. And J Balvin did not disappoint.
With a new design that featured perfectly cut edges on the toe box and side panel, an exposed foam tongue, a velcro place holder for the interchangeable Blavin x Jumpman logos, a midsole with a soft pink finish, and the colorful gradient look on the upper, J Balvin took his Airness’ iconic model and gave it new life.
Due to eventual COVID-19 shopping delays, the Balvin x Air Jordan 1 High OG didn’t release until December of that year. And despite its delay, the shoe was still crowned as one of the best of the year.
Eminem Wears Air Jordan 3 PE at Super Bowl LVI – 2022
As expected, Eminem had something special on feat during his cameo in Dr. Dre’s Super Bowl LVI performance in Los Angeles. He wore a special PE colorway of the Fire Red 3 that featured an icy outsole and a “HI! My Name Is Slim Shady” tag on the heel.
Usher Wears Custom Air Jordan 3 PE at Super Bowl LVIII – 2024
