Seattle Seahawks quarterbacks celebrate during an NFL game.
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Jalen Milroe has landed a notable off-field win before the 2026 season, signing a footwear and apparel deal with New Balance. The news surfaced Friday through Nice Kicks’ social post and was expanded on by Sports Illustrated’s Kicks On SI, which reported the partnership is official and includes Milroe joining the brand’s growing football roster.
Kicks On SI reported that New Balance officially signed Milroe, and the outlet added that he will be featured in performance and lifestyle campaigns while also helping the company wear-test and develop football products.
Why does it matter today? Because Seattle’s offseason calendar is about to turn toward football work again. The Seahawks’ official 2026 offseason calendar says clubs with returning head coaches can begin offseason workout programs on April 22, putting Milroe’s new endorsement spotlight in the window just before Year 2 preparations begin.
Key Points
Jalen Milroe has signed a footwear and apparel deal with New Balance.
The brand plans to use him in campaigns and product-development feedback.
The timing puts Milroe in the spotlight as Seattle moves toward April offseason work.
Milroe is currently listed third on Seattle’s official depth chart behind Sam Darnold and Drew Lock. He was a third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Nice Kicks
Seattle Seahawks QB Jalen Milroe has signed an endorsement deal with New Balance ✍️
Seahawks News: What the Jalen Milroe New Balance deal actually means
This is not being framed as a simple one-post announcement. According to Kicks On SI’s report, Milroe is expected to have an active role with New Balance’s football division, including product feedback and wear-testing, on top of appearing in brand campaigns.
That matters because New Balance is still expanding its football footprint. The SI report described Milroe as the company’s second NFL quarterback, which gives the deal more significance than a routine rookie-style endorsement add.
Why this is big for the Seahawks QB now
Milroe was drafted by Seattle in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft at No. 92 overall and signed his rookie contract with the team in May 2025.
On Seattle’s current official depth chart, Milroe sits behind Sam Darnold and Drew Lock. That means his clearest short-term football storyline is still development, not an immediate starting job.
So this endorsement does two things at once: it raises his national profile, and it keeps his name circulating while he works to grow inside Seattle’s quarterback room. For a third-round quarterback entering his second NFL offseason, that is real career traction even without a starting role attached yet. That last point is an inference based on his depth-chart position and the timing of Seattle’s offseason calendar.
Jalen Milroe explained why he chose New Balance
Milroe also gave SI a direct explanation for why he joined the brand. He said the early communication with New Balance and his family stood out, and he pointed to the chance to help grow the company’s football side. He also noted there is “only one other quarterback besides me” in that part of the roster.
Those details are useful because they show this was pitched as more than apparel. It appears New Balance sold Milroe on long-term involvement and voice, especially on the football side of the business.
What happens next for Milroe and Seattle?
The football part is still the bigger Seahawks question. Seattle’s offseason program can begin April 22, and Milroe remains the No. 3 quarterback on the team’s official depth chart for now.
So the endorsement is major career news, but it also arrives at a useful moment: just before another developmental stretch in which Milroe will try to strengthen his standing behind Darnold and Lock. Whether that turns into preseason reps, a specialty package, or a stronger long-term path is the next football angle to watch. That final projection is inference, not a reported team plan.