Here are the best and most creative cleats from the NFL Pro Bowl
The NFL’s Pro Bowl has always been a little lax on the usual rules. The game doesn’t count for anything, so it’s easier to just let the players play and see what happens.
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While fans can debate about whether that’s the right decision, one of the best part of the relaxed atmosphere is the departure from the uniform code. It provides players with an opportunity to show some of their personality with custom cleats.
We saw a few of those during the game that were worth sharing. Here are some of the best and most creative cleats from the Pro Bowl:
Gerald McCoy, defensive lineman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Shoutout @k_o.brand_kickasso for the King of Pop #probowl2018 edition cleats!! @nfl @tbbuccaneers
A post shared by Gerald McCoy (@geraldini93) on Jan 25, 2018 at 10:30am PST
McCoy decided to pay homage to the King of Pop with his cleats. One shoe features standard Michael Jackson, the other features Jackson in Thriller monster makeup. McCoy even had a custom mouthguard made for the event. It’s purple with music notes running through the middle.
Ben Roethlisberger, quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers
My #ProBowl cleats! #DanRooney #Shalieve #PrayFor50 ✨#SteelersNation pic.twitter.com/Hh6z25azbA
— BigBen7.com (@_BigBen7) January 26, 2018
Ben Roethlisberger’s cleats are tributes to two important members of the Steelers. One cleats features a Dan Rooney patch. The team has been wearing the DMR patch of their jerseys all season. Since Roethlisberger wasn’t going to be wearing a Steelers jersey, he decided to pay tribute to Rooney of his cleats. His other shoe is a tribute to Ryan Shazier, who suffered a gruesome injury earlier in the season, and is recovering after neck surgery.
Delanie Walker, tight end, Tennessee Titans
Delanie Walker’s Pro Bowl cleats have more than 65 pictures of his face. pic.twitter.com/sHqqA1ejWE
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) January 28, 2018
Maybe we should put Delanie Walker’s cleats in the most unusual category. He decided to cover his cleats with … himself. According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, Walker’s cleats have over 65 pictures of his face on them. Hey, the Pro Bowl is the one game per season where it can be all about you, so why not? By game time, it appears Walker may have switched to plain white cleats, unfortunately.
Adam Thielen, wide receiver, Minnesota Vikings
Repping the Fam at the pro bowl! #blessed #family @adidasfballus
A post shared by Adam Thielen (@athielen19) on Jan 26, 2018 at 5:39pm PST
Adam Thielen was a little less self-centered with this choice. His cleats did feature a picture of his face, but they also had pictures of his wife and son’s faces as well. As he said, he was “repping the fam” while at the Pro Bowl.
Xavier Rhodes, cornerback, Minnesota Vikings
Pro Bowl SWAG!!!!!!! @adidasfballus #dadecounty #305
A post shared by Xavier Rhodes (@_xavier29) on Jan 26, 2018 at 11:42am PST
Thielen’s teammate, cornerback Xavier Rhodes, opted for a purple cheat with pink palm trees. Rhodes, who grew up in Miami, also wore the 305 Miami area code on his shoes. The game is being played in Orlando.
Tyreek Hill, wide receiver, Kansas City Chiefs
A post shared by Tyreek Hill (@cheetah) on Jan 26, 2018 at 9:00am PST
Tyreek Hill’s cleats featured a peace sign emoji mixed with a couple cheetahs. Pretty fitting as both Hill’s Twitter and Instagram account are @cheetah. Also because Hill is exceptionally quick.
Jarvis Landry, wide receiver, Miami Dolphins
Dropping. Dimes.
Alex Smith ➡️ Jarvis Landry for 4️⃣9️⃣ yards. pic.twitter.com/tXx4GKeQoJ
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) January 28, 2018
We’re not sure we would call Jarvis Landry’s cleats the most creative. They were just an obnoxiously bright green/yellow. We’ll give him points for wearing the only shoes astronauts can see from space, though.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik