CANTON, Ohio _ Jerry Jones wasn't just proud of his gold jacket Saturday but also his new gold sneakers that arrived just in time for the Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Jones received a package from Nike co-founder Phil Knight on Thursday in the locker room at Tom Benson Stadium before the Cowboys played Arizona. Inside was a custom-made pair of shoes and a handwritten congratulations note from Knight.
Jones chose to wear the shoes for his special night, matching his gold jacket.
Jones joins special company. Knight had similar shoes made for Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods to celebrate special accomplishments in their respective careers.
Jones was touched by Knight's gift. It reminded him of a night in 1995, when he and Knight walked onto the field at Giants Stadium wearing Nikes while Jones was attempting to bring Nike into the NFL as a sponsor.
Jones' new shoes resemble the Hall of Fame gold jacket in more than color. The upper fabric and lining of the shoes are made from Haggar Authentic Pro Football Hall of Fame gold jacket material. The sock-liner is also Haggar lining from the gold jacket's interior. The tongue and heel of the shoes have the same buttons that are on the gold jacket sleeve and chest.
"It was great to see him in that gold jacket. He looked like a natural," Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said of his father. "And he looked great up there with his Hall of Fame tennis shoes on, too. He was really wanting to wear those shoes."
