As if the promise of an NFL career isn’t enough, adidas has added a pretty hefty carrot to the end of the proverbial stick. The athletic apparel brand is offering a cool $1 million to anyone who can break the current 40-yard-dash record. There’s a catch, of course – the record has to be broken in adidas cleats.
The contest is a very clever marketing maneuver for adidas, because any player in the combine without a pre-existing shoe deal will most certainly lace up in adidas cleats. They have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing so. The current record of 4.24 seconds was set eight years ago by Arizona Cardinals running back Chris Johnson.
For those unfamiliar, the 40-yard-dash is one of many physical tests that the NFL has prospective players perform ahead of the NFL draft in May. Whether it deserves the distinction or not, the 40-yard-dash has become a sort of celebrity among the NFL Combine events.
The 2016 NFL Scouting Combine begins on February 23, and adidas hopes everyone will be look a little closer at the cleats this year. If you happen to be competing in the event, be sure to check the official rules.
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