Reebok and J.J. Watt are dedicating the next colorway of the NFL star’s signature shoe to the memory of Pat Tillman.
The Reebok JJ 4 “Valor” training shoe is dedicated to Tillman, a former pro football player who put his career on hold to enlist in the U.S. Army after 9/11. The athlete, then 27, was killed on April 22, 2004 while serving in Afghanistan.
According to Reebok, Tillman is one of Watt’s personal heroes. Also, Tillman played for the Arizona Cardinals, which is the team Watt signed with during the offseason.
Reebok said Watt tapped the late athlete’s wife, Marie Tillman, to help with the design and development process. Additionally, the brand said it will donate $10 for each pair sold to the Pat Tillman Foundation, up to $10,000, and Watt will donate 100% of his proceeds from the shoe to the foundation.
“Pat Tillman lived his life in service of a purpose bigger than himself. That is his true legacy. This shoe is a small way to pay tribute to a legendary man, by not only honoring him, but also donating to the foundation established in his name and ensuring that his legacy lives on,” Watt said in a statement.
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The “Valor” iteration of the shoe features several nods to Tillman including PT40 inscriptions, a Pat Tillman Foundation sockliner and a commemorative hangtag. The look is delivered using the brand’s trek gray, boulder gray and rich red hues.
From a performance standpoint, the training shoe features Flexweave woven textile uppers with resilient stretch and targeted support, a modernized webbing system to contain the midfoot and fingerprint-inspired multidirectional flex groove outsoles for durability and traction.
The Reebok JJ 4 “Valor” arrives via Reebok.com at 12 a.m. ET and at select footwear retailers on May 27 in unisex sizes with a $99.99 price tag.
