Flashback // AstroTurf Heat

With the return of football, we present to you a gallery of some of the best shoes worn on the AstroTurf during the 1990's. Of course there are turf trainers, but you might be surprised by some of the other shoes you will see.

words // Zack Schlemmer

AstroTurf, although doing murder to players' bodies, was the standard articial turf for baseball and football stadiums from the time the Houston Astros first used it in 1966.  Due to its hardness, pro football players were able to play games without using cleats and instead played in football cross trainers and, as you'll see here, even basketball shoes.  The early to mid-1990's was the height of this trend, as players wore everything from the Nike Air Speed Turf to the Air Jordan XI on game day.  

AstroTurf saw its demise as other better, and much softer, forms of artificial turf were developed.  You'll unfortunately no longer get to see, say, Adrian Peterson in a pair of Lebrons on the field, so you'll have to enjoy the following images from the times when AstroTurf and sneaker heat combined.

 

Legendary running backs Barry Sanders and Marshall Faulk lead the way, who both seem to have the best on-field shoe sightings.

Barry Sanders

Nike Air Force V

Nike Air Max 2 Uptempo

Nike Air Max 2 Uptempo, and teammate in Nike Air Flight One

Nike Zoom Turf '96

Nike Zoom Flight '96

Nike Zoom Jet Turf '97

Marshall Faulk

Nike Air Up

Nike Air DT Max '96

Anthony Munoz - Reebok Twilight Zone Pump

 

Greg Lloyd - Nike Air Veer

 

Ernie Mills -- Nike Air Barrage

 

Paul Justin -- Nike Air Barrage

 

Darick Holmes -- Reebok TD Threat

Rufus Porter - Nike Air Flight One

 

Ray Seals -- Converse R.A.W. Energy

 

Bam Morris -- Reebok Reckless

 

Simeon Rice -- NIke Air Penny

 

Darnay Scott -- Nike Air Much Uptempo

Nike Air Max Speed Turf

The Speed Turf was a very popular shoe among NFL players.  Here's a small sample of colorways.

Tyrone Wheatley

Amp Lee

 

Bryan Cox and Cincinnati Bengals Player

Jeff Hostetler

Who would've thought nerdy, mustachioed quarterback Jeff Hostetler would have been rocking heat?

Nike Air Up Scottie Pippen PE

Air Jordan XI Low IE

Manny Martin -- Reebok Bump N' Run

 

Emmitt Smith -- Reebok ES-22

 

Rod Woodson -- Nike Air Bowl Trainer

 

Larry Tharpe -- Nike Air Max Uptempo III

 

Ki-Jana Carter -- Nike Zoom Flight '96

 

Nike Zoom Turf '96

Just like the Air Max Speed Turf, the Zoom Turf (seen earlier on Barry Sanders) was another shoe popular with many Nike sponsored players.

Brett Favre

 

Jeff Blake

 

Jerome Bettis

Tyrone Wheatley -- Nike Pro Streak Max

 

Deion Sanders -- Modified Nike DT Max '96

 

Chris Warren -- DT Max '96

 

Johnnie Morton -- DT Max '96

 

Jamal Anderson -- Nike Air Griffey Max

 

Aaron Taylor -- Reebok Kamikaze II

 

Unidentified Dolphins Players in the Air Jordan XI and Reebok TD Threat

 

Reggie White (R.I.P.) Cheesin' in the Air Jordan XI