The former Alabama quarterback and soon-to-be NFL Draft Pick is the latest gridiron endorser to sign with the Jumpman.
Bryce Young is the newest member of the Jordan Brand family.
The Heisman-winning Alabama product is the favorite to go first overall in Thursday’s NFL Draft and is now the latest gridiron athlete for the Michael Jordan-led Swoosh subsidiary, joining partners across categories like Jayson Tatum, Travis Scott, and Luka Dončić.
Recently, Jordan has jumped head-first into football by signing the likes of Dak Prescott and Deebo Samuel. Young’s signing means the brand’s NFL momentum will pick up right where last season left off.
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At Super Bowl LVII, fellow quarterback and Alabama-turned-Oklahoma alum Jalen Hurts turned heads by wearing both Air Jordan 1 and Air Jordan 11 cleats in the big game. Following in his footsteps, Young appeared at pre-draft workouts in Air Jordan 1 Low cleats.
In Young, Jordan Brand brings on a well-versed spokesperson who’s absolutely flourished as an amateur in the NIL era. Over the course of his college career, Young endorsed the likes of Nissan, Beats by Dre, and Dr. Pepper.
By his senior season, Young’s value as an ambassador reached the multi-million-dollar mark in assessments, making him an unofficial major in business, even if his academic focus was psychology.
While Michael Jordan’s namesake stable sees yet another All-American athlete with All-Pro potential join its esteemed roster, perhaps the biggest winner in this partnership is Young himself. The dollar amount of the deal has not been disclosed, but the money he’s saving by being on the Jordan Brand seeding list could serve as the icing on the cake.
Why is that? At Alabama, the decorated athlete opened up about his one vice when it came to spending his hard-earned endorsement money.
“A lot of shoes,” Young told Boardroom at the 2022 ESPY Awards. “I feel like I have a relatively good amount of self-control. Shoes are the only place I lose it a little bit.”
As a member of the Jordan Brand family, Young may never have to buy a single pair of sneakers again.
Though it’ll be cleated and turf traction models that the quarterback will wear in NFL action, he’ll likely play a part in brand activations tied to training, lifestyle, and retro products in both a social sense and at public appearances.
While MJ’s empire has released marquee models for NBA All-Stars such as Tatum, Dončić, and Zion Williamson in recent years, the brand has not had a signature NFL athlete since Randy Moss in 2001.
But things can change.
Investing in the youth, Jordan Brand currently claims reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero and UCLA standout Kiki Rice. Outside of American basketball, the Jumpman has recently expanded into sports such as golf and in major markets like Milan.
Young continues the trend of Jordan Brand appealing to a Gen Z audience in arenas removed from the hardwood.
Said to bring in more than $5 billion a year in annual revenue, Mike’s market share remains on the upswing with the Crimson Tide tosser officially in on the action.
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