Deion Sanders Announces His Nike Air DT Max 96 Sneaker Will Return for the First Time With His Original Logos
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Deion Sanders’ Nike homecoming will continue with the return of his Air DT Max 96 sneaker, aka the Diamond Turf 3.
Sanders revealed in an Instagram video that the sneaker will be reissued for the first time ever with his face logo in a bubble on the outsole and his baseball and football logo on the tongue. In addition to the old marks, a new “Prime” logo appears on the heel.
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The Air DT Max 96 was last reissued, or retroed, in 2018 without the key marks, as Sanders had then been under contract with Under Armour since 2009. Throughout his first season with Colorado, Sanders was regularly spotted wearing an updated version of the sneaker with ZoomX cushioning, although it’s not clear if that technology will be included for the shoe’s return to market.
Having previously said he’d never return to Nike, Sanders resigned last summer with the company he’d endorsed as an NFL and MLB player. The two-sport icon had been upset about compensation for his signature shoes but was in an awkward position as the head coach of the University of Colorado football team, which has an exclusive contract with Nike. In his previous job leading Jackson State, he was able to change the program’s allegiance from Nike to Under Armour.
In the Instagram video, Sanders showed off his sneaker along with several other cleat prototypes while hosting a visit in his Colorado office with a Nike representative. The assortment included two cleated versions of the Air DT Max 96, as well as a studded version of his first Air Diamond Turf from 1993. All four sneakers shown play on the colors of the Colorado Buffaloes, black and gold.
The return of Sanders’ sneakers comes as attention to him and Colorado has skyrocketed since his appointment as coach at the end 2022. His first season saw several primetime slots for the team’s games, and at one point the Buffs were ranked as high as No. 22 despite having a record of just 1-11 the previous season. The team ended up finishing 4-8 on the season but expectations are for the program to continue to improve.
About the Author:
Ian Servantes is a Senior Trending News Editor for Footwear News specializing in sneaker coverage. He’s previously reported on streetwear and sneakers at Input and Highsnobiety after beginning his career on the pop culture beat. He subscribes to the idea that “ball is life” and doesn’t fuss over his kicks getting dirty.
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