The 2016 NFL season was full of surprises: the dominating Dallas Cowbos rookie tandem of Ezekiel Elliott and Dak Prescott, the resurgence of the Atlanta Falcons, and the Carolina Panthers’ fall from championship contender to the bottom of the NFC South, just to name a few. But from a footwear standpoint, the biggest shocker of the season was undoubtedly the attention cleats received.
Cleats began making headlines at the start of the season, when Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller unveiled the first performance design from Adidas and Kanye West, the Yeezy 750 Cleat. In the weeks that followed, customized cleats became controversial as the NFL began issuing fines to players whose specialized footwear didn’t match their team’s uniforms, as stated in the NFL’s official guidelines.
Like West’s Adidas Originals sneakers, the limited-edition Yeezy Cleats sold out quickly, making them unattainable to the average consumer. Similarly, the custom cleats worn on the gridiron are often expensive one-of-one projects created by some of the community’s most experienced sneaker artists.
Despite this, there are plenty of ways you can be outfitted like the pros. Footwear News rounded up a selection of cleats available now that were worn by the NFL’s top performers for some of the season’s biggest moments.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees led the NFL in passing with 5,208 yards.
Nike Lunar Superbad Pro, $24.99-$89.98; ebay.com
Super Bowl LI-bound Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan ranked second overall in passing yards.
Nike Alpha Field General Elite, $125; nike.com
Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins ranked third overall in passing yards with 4,917.
Nike Alpha Pro Low, $19.99-$79.99; ebay.com
Although the Green Bay Packers faltered in the playoffs, quarterback Aaron Rodgers had a strong season with 4,428 total passing yards.
Adidas Dark Ops Freak X Kevlar, $105; adidas.com
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton led the NFL in receiving yards with 1,448.
Nike Vapor Carbon Elite, $59.93-$79.97, dickssportinggoods.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t make it to Super Bowl LI, but Antonio Brown was one of the league’s top receivers with 1,284 yards.
Nike Alpha Pro Low, $19.99-$79.99; ebay.com
Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott was the league’s top running back with 1,631 yards in the 2016 season.
Nike Vapor Untouchable Pro, $120; nike.com
Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner led NFL defenders in tackles with 167.
Nike Alpha Pro 3/4, $100; nike.com
Want more?
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