When did Bo Jackson sneakers come out?

By Anthony Levine, Updated: 03-15-2022

Perhaps the most well known Bo Jackson sneaker is the Nike Air Trainer SC 3 in the Auburn colorway. However, there are four Nike models that complete the Bo Jackson “line”.

Does Bo Jackson have his own shoe?

Unlike Michael Jordan, Bo Jackson doesn’t have a sneaker named after him. However, the Nike Air Trainer SC, Air Trainer SC 2, Air Trainer SC 3 and Air Trainer Max ’91 are all considered his signature sneakers.

Bo received the Nike endorsement due to playing both Baseball and Football well during his professional sports career which lasted from around 1986-1990. The Nike Air Trainer SC line is intended to be as versatile as the man himself.

The Nike models most associated with Bo came out between 1988-1991. The marketing campaign is well known for the catch phrase “Bo Knows” used in various commercials for the Air Trainer.

Nike Air Trainer SC

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Bo initially wore the Air Trainer 1, a shoe moreso associated with tennis player John McEnroe. The “Medicine Ball” colorway of the Air Trainer 3 is the first “official” Bo Jackson sneaker. This sneaker released in 1988.

The Air Trainer 1 is designed by Tinker Hatfield as a sneaker that could work on court as well as in the gym. The Air Trainer SC (or Air Trainer 3) is a further extension of that. The model added in plastic eyelets and a forefoot strap. Additionally, the Air unit is now visible in the heel.

The medicine ball was a training staple for Bo, hence the inspiration on the colorway and nickname.

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Nike Air Trainer SC 2

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The follow up to the Air Trainer 3 is the SC 2. This was not technically a “Bo Jackson model”, however he is essentially the celebrity associated with the sneaker.

This shoe follows the same principle as the previous models in the line. The idea is to be able to practice and train in the gym, and then change to playing a real game without changing sneakers. This is the same duality associated with Bo Jackson continuing to play both Baseball and Football and needing a versatile sneaker that can serve multiple functions.

Neoprene was starting to get used in a lot of models from Nike at the time, and this version gets an upgraded bootie for a comfortable fit. We also see the strap become removable and positioned higher on the foot than in the previous iteration.

The volt colorway pictured is the pair that I had in the day although I no longer am in possession of the sneaker. The OG colorways most are familiar with though are the Citron and Infrared.

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Nike Air Trainer SC 3

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The Auburn colorway of the Nike Air Trainer SC High (or SC 3) is, according to some, the most famous Bo Jackson sneaker. The shoe released in 1990.

This was the last in the SC line and removed the obvious straps for straps more closely connected to the upper and eyelets. We also get a higher cut here.

These get the Auburn nickname from the colors also featured on the football uniform of Bo Jackson’s college team the Auburn Tigers. There is also a reverse Auburn colorway. I’ve probably seen more different SC High colorways than any other model in the line.

This sneaker has released multiple times, and I have owned pairs of previous retros. It’s a colorway I’m looking to add back into my collection at some point. I’m sure we will continue to see retros of the Bo Jackson line, and I’ve personally noticed more releases of the Auburn SC Highs than any other colorway.

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Nike Air Trainer Max ’91

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After the end of the SC line, we get the final sneaker closely associated with Bo Jackson, The Air Trainer Max. This sneaker released in 1991, hence future retros would include the “91” in the name.

This shoe brought the straps back from earlier Bo Jackson trainers but added Nike branding to them and made them nylon instead of rubbery plastic. The ankle bears a slight resemblance to its contemporary in the realm of hoops, the Air Jordan 7.

This is another sneaker that I had a retro of back in the early days of my collecting journey. I found the materials to be… not great on that retro. It was also a very hard sneaker to move at the time. Nowadays though, retros of these command high resale value! It’s funny how that works out sometimes.

In any case, I’m ready and waiting for the next time they retro for another chance to get a pair. Hopefully future retros will give us better quality than I’ve seen in the past.

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How is the quality on most of Bo Jackson’s signature Nikes?

Most pairs of Air Trainer retros have not had the best quality or comfort.

This is an interesting as Bo Jackson’s legacy is one of quality in multiple areas. In his case, different professional sports. For his sneakers, increased attention to quality in both materials and comfort would make for a great retro release on any model in the line.

With the trend of Nike “remastering” pairs and releasing recrafted versions of things, I’m hoping we get more premium versions of Bo’s shoes but with a modern, forgiving fit. Time will tell if Nike is able to retro these with an identical look to their original versions but with upgraded materials and comfort. Usually the brand seems to cheap out when it comes to Air Trainer retros with the exception of certain versions of the Medicine Ball colorway.

If Nike can fix the quality by adding supple, pliable leathers and suedes to the upper, the comfort should improve. I’m hoping this is the case for upgrading and rereleasing what are normally very “stiff” feeling models on foot.

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