Fan Friday: Oakley releases eyewear collab with the Pittsburgh Steelers

As one of the most lucrative professional sports leagues, the NFL boasts numerous high-profile sponsorships. One of the most valuable, though, is their partnership with the performance brand Oakley.

As recently as 2023, the NFL and Oakley extended their existing partnership with another multi-year deal that will run until 2030. In this capacity, the brand will supply licensed eyewear releases for fans and special versions for all 32 NFL team franchise players and staff members. This includes the Pittsburgh Steelers, who’ve released a number of special edition Oakley eyewear models through the years.

A look at Oakley within the NFL

After initially sealing their partnership in 2019, this latest extension came hot on the heels of the announcement that there would be an NFL Flag Collection and another drop for the Kansas City Chiefs Patrick Mahomes’ Signature Series Collection. Since then, the star quarterback has released yet another iteration of this collection, this time using the brand’s Latch shades model. This is a continuation of a five-year tradition wherein Oakley introduces another addition to Mahomes’ signature frames collection every fall, in time for the start of the football season.

Aside from this, the partnership is also largely a vehicle to help support each of the entities’ advocacies. In particular, a prior press release from Oakley explained that by working with the NFL, they’re able to make football more accessible to more youths across the US. Additionally, the partnership aims to help inspire athletes to be true to who they are by shedding a spotlight on the diverse players who populate the NFL’s own teams. In light of this, the NFL and Oakley recently rolled out a campaign called “Be Who You Are.”

What’s up with the Steelers’ Oakley Collab

That said, the Steelers’ Oakley collab has seen the creation and release of branded versions of the eyewear maker’s iconic models. These include frames such as the Holbrook, which are among the most popular Oakley sunglasses on retailer Eyebuydirect. Available with and without polarization or prescriptions, these are made with Oakley’s specialty Prizm technology lenses, which improve color and contrast for enhanced visual perception. In the latest NFL iteration of these frames, they’re rendered in official team colors and elevated with the Steelers’ logo.

Apart from the Holbrooks, the NFL has also worked with Oakley to reimagine their Flak 2.0 XL frames with their team colorway and logo. Crafted in a wraparound style, this pair is intended for more demanding athletics and outdoor use, which is why it’s also got Unobtainium nose pads and ear socks for a more secure fit. While they are only on sale for a limited time to the public, the Steelers’ players are also known to wear them during their day-to-day activities. The most memorable example of this is veteran Russel Wilson. Last year, the quarterback made headlines for wearing his Oakley sunglasses indoors while working out.

To date, given that the NFL’s partnership with Oakley will continue for several more years, Steelers fans can expect more limited-edition releases and perhaps the addition of at least one team athlete in Oakley’s acclaimed roster of ambassadors.