Music star Darius Rucker, formerly of Hootie and the Blowfish and current country sensation, is now adding another achievement to his lifetime of success: a line of officially licensed NFL apparel inspired by his love of music, football and fashion called NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics. But, unlike the somewhat unpopular collection that Ed Sheeran released earlier this year, Rucker seems to be taking a different tactic with the line.
For example, the line pays homage to the actual teams, rather than the NFL itself. According to Yahoo, the assortment of apparel will feature items for all 32 NFL teams, including T-shirts, fleece, outerwear and sweats. And the big kicker (pun intended) is that it will all fall within a reasonable retail price range of $29.99 to $99.99.
Announcing NFL X Darius Rucker! Been a big @NFL fan my entire life, so it’s a dream come true seeing my logo next to the NFL logo on merchandise for ALL 32 teams. Can’t wait to see y'all enjoy this collection!
NFL Shop – https://t.co/LIhcSFeJQn
Fanatics – https://t.co/W7hs7fKF0U pic.twitter.com/eRKIKorSf6— Darius Rucker (@dariusrucker) November 15, 2021
Rucker also has personal ties to the sport itself. He admits to being a fan since an early age and even played it up until high school. Perhaps that why, even though the line was designed by experts, he made suggestions on what to include and what to leave out, and ultimately had final approval on all of the styles.
“I’ve been a huge NFL fan my entire life, so it’s a dream come true to see my logo right next to the NFL logo on these items,” Rucker said, according to Yahoo. “It has been a blast working with two great partners, Fanatics and the NFL to make this project a reality.”
As for the team Rucker cheers for, the Miami Dolphins tattoo he has says it all. Some Hootie fans probably even recall the line, “I’m such a baby, ‘cause the Dolphins make me cry,” in the popular song “Only Wanna’ Be With You.”
Sportico also reports that the collaboration “is an opportunity to offer clothing that is different from most officially licensed product, and hopefully lure a new group of buyers.”
“My brand takes a huge step up, probably two or three steps up,” Rucker said in the Sportico story. “If I’m sitting there watching the Green Bay game on Sunday and there’s a commercial for my line with Fanatics? That’s iconic stuff, and that’s going to help my career.”
