ClutchPoints
Fashion has become an increasingly big part of the NFL, as athletes always like to show off their favorite attire when they arrive at their respective games. This trend has carried over to pregame warmups, where a growing number of players are repping Dreamathon T-shirts, which is a fashion brand created by former NFL wide receiver Bruce Thompson.
Over the past couple of years, more and more players across the NFL have been seen wearing Thompson’s Dreamathon shirts before they throw on their uniforms for their upcoming contests. As the name of the brand suggests, Thompson is intent on not just expressing his own fashion sense through Dreamathon, but helping others do the same on one of the biggest stages the world has to offer.
“Dreamathon was from my journey of having a dream, and I had ups and downs. From being homeless, to trying to make a way towards my dream of playing in the NFL. And I was just being fashionable and a trendsetter. I realized my dreams were bigger than me,” Thompson told ClutchPoints of how Dreamathon came to be.
“I know there’s people out there that are chasing dreams and I want to remind them about what they are chasing … When you see people wearing Dreamathon, they are chasing greatness and building a legacy for themselves and the ones around them who inspire and motivate them on their journey.”
Thompson’s Dreamathon shirts have given athletes an outlet to not just express their fashion sense, but also shout out the people around them who inspire them.
When Kansas City Chiefs star tight end Travis Kelce endured a slow start to the 2024 campaign, his teammates showed their support of him by donning a Kelce Dreamathon T-shirt ahead of their Week 4 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers.
After Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a season-ending injury in that clash against the Chargers, the Chiefs wore Dreamathon T-shirts of the talented pass-catcher ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the Rice T-shirt is one of Thompson’s favorite designs he has ever created. The one that comes in at the top of the list, though, is when Odell Beckham Jr. paid homage to legendary fashion designer Virgil Abloh ahead of a playoff game in 2022 with the Los Angeles Rams after Abloh tragically passed away in Nov. 2021.
“(Virgil Abloh) is someone who inspired me, and I’m close with his family as well to this day,” Thompson said when reflecting on his favorite design. “Odell Beckham Jr wore it on a night game in Arizona. Virgil inspired us all. We wanted to show love through not talking about it but showing it through Dreamathon.”
Shining a spotlight on the folks who inspire you is what Dreamathon is about, but in talking with Thompson, that doesn’t come as much of a surprise. That’s because he revealed that he was inspired to start his own fashion...
