Sneaker News Tobie Hatfield has dedicated his design curiousty towards inclusivity. For decades, he’s been working to create solutions for the challenged, spearheading innovations like the hands-free FlyEase sneaker while pioneering the game-changing Nike Free in the 2000s. For his latest sidequest, he’s worked with a college football legend who had his world completely changed just a few years ago.
Bram Kohlhausen is a name that is definitely familiar in Oregon and around those parts. For its football fans, he might be what we call “the opps”, because he led the charge on an insane comeback win, overcoming a 31-0 deficit to guide TCU over the Oregon Ducks back in 2016 at the Alamo Bowl.
In 2023, Bram suffered an unthinkable injury, falling 75 feet out of a helicopter during a hunting trip. Miraculously, he survived, but lost both of his feet in the process, ending whatever hopes he had in football, let alone sports in general.
Tobie and Nike have been working closely with Bram to help him get back into another sport he loves — golf. By analyzing his swing and movement, Tobie worked on creating a custom pair of Air Jordan 1s made specifically for the former QB. The result: a reinforced toe piece inspired not unlike the anti-creasing accessories used by some sneakerheads. For the design, Bram partnered with Miles Custom Studio to add logos, numbers, and other symbols that represent his journey. Coincidentally, current Nike CEO Elliott Hill is a TCU Alumn.
For tonight’s Alamo Bowl, Bram will be the Honorary Captain for TCU, and he’ll be wearing these Air Jordan 1s at the game.
