Dillon Gabriel’s Nike ‘Grandpa’ Shoes Changed College Fashion

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Dillon Gabriel’s long college football career concluded on a sour note on Wednesday evening. The Ohio State Buckeyes stomped the Oregon Ducks 41-21 in the Rose Bowl.

Despite missing out on an opportunity to compete in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, Gabriel left his mark on the sport. In a recent story for The Athletic, Christopher Kamrani

detailed the culture Gabriel helped build everywhere he went.

There are plenty of amusing anecdotes sprinkled throughout the article, but one that stood out the most was Gabriel’s affinity for Nike Air Monarch sneakers. The 24-year-old is already older than most of his peers, and likely changed the way many of college students thought about footwear fashion.

According to the story, Gabriel prioritizes comfort over style. Former Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Drake Stoops said Gabriel has several pairs of what became known around the Oklahoma locker room as the “grandpa shoes.”

Gabriel is said to be a “true believer” of the Nike Air Monarch IV. The old-school sneaker from the 1990s is synonymous with old-man fashion.

Dad shoes have been on the rise for awhile, and a co-sign from a Heisman Trophy contender may be all the trend needs to explode on campuses across the country.

Leaning into it, Gabriel even had some customizations for himself as a joke. Some of his personalized colorways have Gucci insignias inscribed on them, and others he ordered are special in all-white.

Luckily for football fans who want to dress like Gabriel, they can choose from three general-release colorways of the Nike Air Monarch IV for $80 in adult sizes on the Nike website.

According to Nike, the casual shoes set you up for working out with durable leather on top for support. Additionally, the lightweight foam teams up with Nike Air cushioning for comfort in every stride.

While Gabriel is known for his down-to-earth fashion style off the field, his aesthetics could not be any more different on the gridiron.

The Ducks quarterback regularly debuted new and retro Nike cleats in player-exclusive Oregon colorways. During some of his biggest moments in college, Gabriel wore the cleat versions of the Nike Dunk and Deion Sanders’ retro kicks.

No one knows where Gabriel will land in the NFL, but it is a safe bet to assume he signs a footwear and apparel deal with Nike. Over the years, there has been a direct pipeline for former Oregon athletes to sign with the Swoosh as soon as they go pro.

Even more importantly, it will be interesting to see if Gabriel’s sneaker style sticks around on campus after he leaves. Stay locked into Sports Illustrated’s Kicks On SI for all their footwear news from the sports world and beyond.