Howard University football is about to look different this season. And not just because they’ve got a new head coach.
Jordan Brand dropped custom Air Jordan 11 cleats for the Bison this week, and they’re exactly what you’d expect from a partnership like this. High-top version. Low-top version. Bison blue with a red Jumpman logo on the back. The Howard Bison logo sits on the tongue like a crown jewel. These things are clean.
But here’s the thing — you can’t buy them. Not in stores, not online, not from some back alley reseller who says they’ve got a guy. These are player-exclusives, made only for the guys wearing the uniform.
Four years into a 20-year deal
This isn’t a one-off gesture. Howard and Jordan Brand signed a 20-year partnership back in 2022, making the Bison one of a small group of HBCUs with that kind of backing. This season marks year four of that agreement, and the cleats are just the latest perk.
The Air Jordan 11 is one of the most iconic sneakers in the game — Michael Jordan wore them during his 1995-96 championship season, and the silhouette has been a sneakerhead staple ever since. Adapting it into a football cleat for an HBCU program says something about how Jordan Brand views that partnership. It’s not just a logo on a jersey. It’s the whole package.
A new coach, a new look, a big opener
The cleats will make their on-field debut when Howard opens the season against Alabama A&M on August 29 in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge at Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. That game will be nationally televised on ABC, which means the whole country gets to see those Bison blue Jumpman cleats in action.
It’s also the first game for Ted White, the new head coach who came back to lead his alma mater. White was Howard’s assistant head coach and offensive coordinator from 2011 to 2015 before returning this year to take the top job. So yeah, opening night is going to be a big deal for him too.
Howard put together a custom cleat for the season, but fans online have already started asking the obvious question — why not sell them? The answer is pretty simple. Player-exclusive gear like this drives buzz precisely because it’s not available. It’s a flex. It’s a status symbol. And it tells recruits that Howard isn’t just another HBCU program. It’s one with Jordan Brand behind it.
Whether those cleats help the Bison win games remains to be seen. But they’ll definitely look good doing it.
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