Donald Driver has quite literally gone from rags to riches over the course of his life. The Green Bay Packers legend grew up poor and experienced periods of homelessness during his childhood in Texas, and he later reached the pinnacle of sports accomplishment when his team, led by Aaron Rodgers, won the Super Bowl in 2011. But it’s been in his post-football life that the 45-year-old is making his greatest impact, and with his recently announced collaboration with cordwainer Moral Code, the former wide receiver is expanding his legendary reach further than ever before.
“My ‘moral code’ is: You look good, you feel good,” Driver said in the announcement release. “The more confident you are in yourself, the more you’re going to be able to go out and create a style that’s unique and different.”
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The capsule, which includes five shoe models, is now available for pre-order, and its styles range in form from the refined casual of leather sneakers and high tops to a polished Chelsea boot and easy-wearing calfskin loafer. Each carries with it a name distinct from the rest of the Moral Code lineup, deriving from Driver’s list of characteristics of the modern well-dressed man, including purpose, passion, discover, imagine, and thrive.
Driver says his collection is aimed especially at Black youth as they begin to navigate the professional world. “When you walk out into the real world you have to present yourself in a way that people respect,” he explained. His concern is far from theoretical; in the campaign imagery, Driver is pictured often with his son, Cristian, 17, who himself is a standout wide receiver and safety currently fielding offers from a slew of Division I football programs. Cristian also helped design the capsule, helping ensure that its offerings would transcend one generation to the next.
Far from pursuing a retirement project, Driver has, since 2001, been recognized for his investment in communities of need through the Donald Driver Foundation, a nonprofit that works with underprivileged children and families in health and education. A portion of the proceeds from the Moral Code x Donald Driver collection will be donated to the Foundation, bringing Driver’s efforts full circle.
In a three-minute promotional video for the collab, the senior Driver talks about showing up to his first away game as a Packer. Dressed in his official Green Bay warmups — the nicest clothing he owned when compared to the tank tops and shorts that comprised his entire wardrobe — a more seasoned Antonio Freeman took Driver aside, said, “I got you.” Freeman bought the rookie his first suit, and “at that moment,” Driver says, “I realized that my gift in life was to give back to others.” The NFL veteran may no longer be shaking defensive backs, but he’s run far beyond his humble roots while beckoning the next generation to follow.
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