Mother’s Day is coming up, and Colorado Buffaloes football head coach Deion Sanders is setting the bar impossibly high for the rest of the world. The NFL Hall of Famer has teamed up with Nike on a heartfelt colorway of his signature sneakers, and the Nike Air DT Max ’96 is dropping in the “Love Letter to Connie” colorway just before Mother’s Day.
Deion Sanders Pays Tribute to His Mom in ‘Love Letter to Connie’
The sneaker from Sanders and Nike is drenched in bold reds with a crisp white swoosh and insoles that read “Love You Mom.” This is more than a fashion statement as it’s a symbol of gratitude, legacy, and love.
Coach Prime has consistently credited his mother, Connie Knight, as the foundation for his work ethic and discipline. Sanders recently revealed the sneaker in an Instagram post with the caption: “My Mama Has shoes!”
He then added a heartfelt series of photos featuring himself and his mother donning her new shoes.
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In his 2011 Hall of Fame speech, Sanders recalled making a special promise to his mother when he was just a child.
“And I said, ‘Mama’ — because I was tired of seeing her go to work and come home all tired — I said, ‘I’m going to be rich one day. Mama, I’m going to make a lot of money, and you will never have to work another day of your life.’ My mama said, ‘That’s fine, but until then, you get that lawnmower and go out there and cut that grass,” Sanders said.
The “Love Letter to Connie” edition of the Nike Air DT Max ’96 arrives as part of Sanders’ continued cultural resurgence, both on and off the field. For Sanders’ fans from the older era, it’s the latest release of a classic nostalgic nod to the mid-’90s, when the original Diamond Turf sneakers became synonymous with “Prime Time’s” elite talent as a two-sport athlete in football and baseball.
Coach Prime once brought his mother to Boulder, Colo., to help fire up the team ahead of a rivalry game with Colorado State in 2023. Knight delivered a message that is now iconic inside the Buffaloes locker room.
“I always told him to be yourself, but if you have to kick a**, kick a**,” she said.
The sneaker is set to launch on May 9, and will cost $170; it will be available through select retailers.
