Nike Junkie Travis Kelce Puts LeBron James on Mount Rushmore for Sports Ads As Jason Recalls Joe Greene’s Super Bowl Commercial

LeBron James has time and again stunned his fans with his basketball genius. The NBA hero once again proved his mettle when he broke the career points record Kareem Abdul-Jabbar held in February 2023. With LeBron James going as strong as ever at 39, even NFL star Travis Kelce is not immune to his charm. Kelce recently professed his childhood obsession with King James while attending Sport Beach 2024 at Cannes Lions. The Chiefs’ tight end appeared with his brother, Jason Kelce, for a segment on New Heights, the popular podcast hosted by the NFL brothers.

During the segment, Jason and Travis Kelce were questioned about their favorite childhood sports commercial featuring a specific athlete. The younger Kelce did not waste a breath before admitting exactly how much he has looked up to the NBA savant. “I’m such a Nike junkie man, just do it. When I was a kid… I’m a huge Cleveland Cavs fan, LeBron James. Witness greatness. I mean, you can’t beat it, man.” It is no surprise Nike and LeBron James have a special history. Two decades ago, leaving behind lucrative offers from Reebok and Adidas, The Akron Hammer began a partnership with Nike. The partnership catapulted LeBron James into becoming a billionaire, and Nike got one of its biggest brand ambassadors. LeBron’s on-field domination meant Nike products flew off the racks, and the sports shoes and apparel giant wasted no time doubling down on King James’ brand image.

Nike’s “Witnesses” campaign, the one Travis Kelce mentioned during the Sport Beach 2024 interview, was one such attempt to highlight LeBron James’ ‘never-ending greatness‘. The Witness campaign began in November 2005, introducing a 110-foot high by 212-foot wide billboard of LeBron James in Cleveland, which happens to be Travis Kelce’s hometown. In 2007, the legendary line “We Are All Witnesses” emerged, claiming all audience to be witnesses of the basketball legend’s greatness. Over time, LeBron changed teams, and the Witness campaign changed storylines. But the campaign itself has survived the test of time. From Witness t-shirts and the basketball player’s other lines with Nike, the brand generates around $600 million annually.

Jason Kelce couldn’t agree more with Travis Kelce’s viewpoint, and added, “Yeah, those are unbelievable.” The retired Eagles center then revealed his favorite commercial, a Coca-Cola classic featuring Steelers legend ‘Mean’ Joe Greene. “I think the old school, the Mean Joe Greene one with Coca-Cola, all the beer ones from Super Bowl. They do a good job with those commercials,” said Jason Kelce. Titled “Hey Kid, Catch“, ‘Mean’ Joe Greene created history when he starred in this Super Bowl XIV commercial. Broken and bloodied from a hard day at the football field, Joe Greene is seen limping to the locker room, where a kid offers the then-Steelers defensive tackle a Coke to invigorate the football player. Touched by the gesture and refreshed by the beverage, Greene is then seen gifting the kid a jersey, thus forging the immortal bond between an athlete and a die-hard fan, the same bond that makes Travis Kelce remember LeBron James with unmatched fondness.

Travis Kelce, a true Nike junkie

Apart from worshiping the NBA icon, Travis Kelce loves associating with Nike in all spheres of his life. Last season, ahead of a game against the New England Patriots, the Kansas City Chiefs star sported Nike apparel from head to toe, complete with Nike’s LeBron 2 sneakers. Not only that, during one of his earliest appearances with girlfriend Taylor Swift, the younger Kelce once again tipped his hat to his favorite brand. The tight end confirmed his Nike sneakerhead status with the ultra-rare Nike SB Dunk Low in the Green Lobster colorway.

With much adoration between Nike and the Chiefs’ star, it is only natural that Travis would have his own sneaker line with the popular brand. In 2021, he partnered with Nike to release a custom sneakers line. Called ‘Tru Kolors’, the line consists of six styles, each a spin-off of the Nike Blazer Mid ’77 Vintage.

With that being said, what is your favorite brand commercial? Do share with us in the comments.