Deion Sanders, the former NFL star, and renowned sports personality, once boldly declared that he would never again collaborate with the sporting giant, Nike, despite its massive $34.35 billion worth. However, in a surprising turn of events, Sanders has reportedly rejoined the ranks of the renowned brand, marking a significant reconciliation between the two parties.
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After an acrimonious split with Nike, Deion Sanders found solace in a new partnership with Under Armour. However, recent reports from USA Today indicate that the legendary athlete and coach has now reconciled with his former sporting juggernaut, Nike. This unexpected reunion marks a significant turn of events for Sanders and the iconic brand.
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According to a report from USA Today, Deion Sanders, the former NFL star and head football coach at Colorado, has made a surprising decision to reunite with $34.35 billion worth of Nike, after severing ties with the brand many years ago. Nike confirmed the news in an email to USA Today Sports, welcoming Sanders back to the Nike family.
Sanders himself dropped hints about the reunion on his Instagram, where he posted a photo of himself wearing a black shirt adorned with a Nike Swoosh alongside his personal “Coach Prime” logo. In the photo, one could also see him holding one of his old signature Nike shoes. The post was captioned, “‘We Coming’ @nike #CoachPrime.”
This development comes as a reversal of Sanders’ previous stance, where he had sworn not to work with Nike again. In the past, he expressed his displeasure with the brand’s treatment and compensation, indicating that he felt undervalued despite his significant contributions. Sanders shared his frustrations in a 2017 interview with Joe La Puma of Complex, stating,
“That’s why I’m upset with them right now. We created these together, but they don’t want to seed me. They don’t want to direct-deposit.”
Another bone of contention was Nike’s alleged lack of support for Sanders’ initiatives to fund youth sports leagues. Unlike his partnership with Under Armour, Sanders claimed that Nike wasn’t on board with his plans. He revealed on Full-Size Run, a sneaker talk show, in 2019, saying,
“I’ve got to have a plan to sustain the shorties, with the youth leagues and all that, and they weren’t with it.”
Furthermore, Sanders took offens that he never met Phil Knight, Nike’s co-founder and former CEO. He considered it to be personally offensive, stating, “I thought that was kind of offensive” during the same show in 2019.
Sanders’ frustrations with Nike were evident when he was asked if he would ever wear his old Nike shoes from back in the day, to which he replied unequivocally, “Never. Never.”
However, despite the hard feelings and the public fallout, Sanders and Nike have now surprisingly reconciled, marking a significant turnaround in their relationship.
Deion Sanders’ Awkward Reunion with Nike: “Feeling Like I Was Cheating on Somebody”
The turnaround appears to be driven in part by Sanders’ new role as head football coach at the University of Colorado, a Nike-sponsored school since 1995. With Sanders’ arrival, Colorado has been in the national spotlight, bringing more exposure to the Nike brand. His employment contract with the university requires him to wear team Nike gear, which he has adhered to more consistently in recent months.
In a video from January by Thee Pregame Show on Youtube, a Colorado equipment staffer gives Sanders Nike shoes to try on, leading Sanders to respond, “I feel like I’m cheatin’ on somebody” after not wearing Nike shoes in “at least 15 years.”
Though the exact terms of the new deal remain undisclosed, fans can expect to see new “Coach Prime” gear featuring the Nike logo, potentially even a relaunch of Sanders’ signature old shoe, the Nike Air Diamond Turf.
