Travis Kelce Makes Chiefs History in Meaningful Air Jordan Cleats

Travis Kelce made history in Air Jordan cleats that honored his alma mater.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce wore player-exclusive Air Jordan 11 cleats against the Washington Commanders.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce wore player-exclusive Air Jordan 11 cleats against the Washington Commanders. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

All eyes are always on Travis Kelce as he enters Arrowhead Stadium through the team's tunnel walk. Last night's pregame coverage even showed Kelce's stylish arrival before the Monday Night Football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders.

That was no mistake, as football fans and media knew the legendary tight end was one touchdown away from his 83rd career score, tying former running back Priest Holmes for the most total touchdowns in franchise history. The big moment came in the third quarter of the Chiefs' 28-7 win over the Washington Commanders.

Recognizing the significance of the career-defining moment, Kelce used his footwear to bring the story full circle. The Ohio native wore the Air Jordan 11 in a player-exclusive 'Cincinnati Bearcats' colorway.

The official Bearcats football social media channels wasted no time in congratulating their most famous former player online. Judging by Kelce's choice in cleats, the love is mutual.

Kelce first debuted the Air Jordan 11 'Cincinnati Bearcats' colorway last season, but has only worn them sparingly throughout this year. It came as there was serious hype that Kelce would switch from Nike to Jordan Brand - that never came to fruition.

Of course, Cincinnati is a Jordan Brand/Nike partner school in the NCAA. The Bearcats basketball team represents Jumpman, while every other team sports the Swoosh.

Kelce's Bearcats-inspired colorway featured a white upper, contrasted by a patent-leather red mudguard with fierce black stripes. The Jumpman logo pops off the lateral ankle in red. Lastly, Kelce's jersey number (#87) appears on the back heels, confirming it is a player-exclusive design.

Meanwhile, the Air Jordan 11 football cleats are a redesigned version of Michael Jordan's 11th signature basketball shoe. The old-school hoop shoes have transcended the court to become a favorite in the sneaker world, even expanding into other sports with a retooling.

The Air Jordan 11 cleats drop sporadically on the Nike website, always in classic colorways. However, fans can gear up for nine colorways of the Air Jordan 11 sneakers dropping over the coming months as the model celebrates its 30th birthday.

Kelce reflected on his place in history after the game. "I'm just the old, lucky dog still able to do this thing, man," Kelce said with a smile. "I'm putting on the pads like I'm 15 years old again. I'm loving every single bit of it."

For the sneaker community, we are also lucky that the veteran tight end is still entertaining us with highlight plays and even more impressive kicks.

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Pat Benson
PAT BENSON

Pat Benson covers the sneaker industry for Kicks On Sports Illustrated. As a leading voice in footwear journalism, he breaks news, spotlights important stories, and interviews the biggest names in sports. Previously, Pat has reported on the NBA and authored "Kobe Bryant's Sneaker History (1996-2020)." You can email him at 1989patbenson@gmail.com.

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