words // Brandon Richard

One of the highlights of 2012 was seeing signature football trainers return to the market. Cam Newton and Darrelle Revis were the subjects of signature releases from their respective brands and Tim Tebow is expected to join the equation later this year. In the 90s, NFL athletes with signature footwear was a little more common, with players like Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Jerome Bettis and Randy Moss amongst several with their name linked to a shoe. Also part of that group was Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, who saw his mid-90s partnership with Reebok taken to the next level with the release of multiple signature trainers. Perhaps the best known shoe from Emmitt’s line is the ES22, which has been re-released in a slew of colorways, both original and new.

Originally released in 1997, the ES22 was a sign of the times for Reebok performance. A synthetic build and the brand’s popular VizHex “honeycomb” cushioning was the same set-up used for the signature models of Shaquille O’Neal, Allen Iverson and Shawn Kemp on the basketball side of things. Of course, what separated Emmitt’s shoe from the pack was the turf-ready rubber outsole that actually made it a sensible option on the field.

Now the ES22 is back in a wide variety of styles for every kind of fan. If you prefer the original looks, the ES22 is available in Club Blue and Black. Fan of Emmitt since his college years with the Florida Gators? How about the ES22 in Royal/Orange/White! Perhaps the coolest new colorways are the AFC/NFC inspired red, white and blue pairs that celebrate this weekend’s NFL Pro Bowl.

Whatever your preference is, seven different styles of these classic Reebok training shoes are available for you to pick up today.

Available: Reebok ES22