The return of former two-sport superstar Deion Sanders’ Nike signature line has been one of the biggest sneaker stories of 2024, going beyond retro releases and frequently appearing in cleat form on both college and NFL fields. The push will continue this fall with the release of a new style that nods to Sanders’ professional legacy.
Specifically, the upcoming Nike Air DT Max ’96 “Falcons” updates Sanders’ third signature shoe with the colors of the Atlanta Falcons. As he’s known today, “Coach Prime” played for the Falcons from 1989-1993, launching his early career in the NFL.
While the Air DT Max ’96 often features heavy color contrast on the jagged lines of its two-tone upper, this “Falcons” colorway is more subdued, mixing black with a “Team Anthracite” gray that matches the colors of the team’s home uniforms. And just like the uniforms, the Air DT Max ’96 uses sparse red accents that appear on the lining, pull tabs, branding, and “21” embroidery on the heel – a reference to Sanders’ uniform number.
So far in 2024, the Air DT Max ’96 has mostly been released in colorways inspired by the Colorado Buffaloes football team, where Sanders has been the head coach since December 2022. One outlier was the return of the shoe’s original “Varsity Maize” colorway, a style that has been re-released frequently but was last seen in 2018 before Sanders and Nike rekindled their relationship.
Looking ahead to 2025, Sanders’ first Nike shoe, the Air Diamond Turf, is expected to be released in February. The model is also said to have inspired a new hybrid version of LeBron James’ LeBron 21 sneaker, set to launch in summer ’25.
As for this “Falcons” Air DT Max ’96 (style code: HQ3620-010), readers can expect it to arrive in stores during the month of November. It’s priced at $170 and has a full colorway of “Black/White-Team Anthracite-Metallic Silver-Fire Red.”