No disrespect to the Steph Curry signature sneaker that melted the internet last June, but Nike's Air Monarch IV has always been the most dad-ass dad shoe.。
Now -- thanks to Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who leads Seattle into the NFL Playoffs this weekend -- the Air Monarch just became even more dad. And the haters said it couldn't be done! 。。
SEE ALSO:Record-setting 105-year-old French cyclist is your new inspirational sports hero 。Before we plunge forth, let's briefly recap the Air Monarch's credentials as, well, the monarch of all dad shoes. It's a piece of (ostensibly) athletic footwear that is chunky, bland and not exactly cutting-edge. It's a shoe sized not just in traditional lengths but in widths as well. It's also a shoe that is by all accounts extremely comfortable.。
Behold the dad-ness below. 。


Credit: nike.com。 So legendary has the Air Monarch's dorkiness become, in fact, that。Complex。
wrote two years ago that the model had become a "parody of itself." There's even an Instagram account that chronicles Air Monarch sightings in the wild. What the Air Jordan is to uber-hip sneaker-heads, the Air Monarch is to the Dockers-wearing over-50 set. (And don't think those fogies aren't buying them -- the Air Monarch is reportedly among Nike's best-selling shoes, fire emojis or no fire emojis.)。

Credit: Julio Cortez/AP 。
During the most recent off-season, Seahawks equipment managers tried to get Carroll to upgrade his footwear to something a little more suave. But he stayed loyal and kept the Monarchs. 。
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In the process, the most dad-ass dad shoe of all dad shoes somehow became even more dad.。
Here, via B/R Kicks, is a look at a Carroll-exclusive version of the Air Monarch that Nike produced for the Seattle head man. Emblazoned on the tongue is "ALWAYS COMPETE," one of Carroll's go-to coaching phrases.。
Tweet may have been deleted。 Tweet may have been deleted 。It's like some twisted geniuses at Nike sat down and had a conversation along these lines:。 "Is there any 。possible 。
way we can make the most dad shoe of all time 。
even dorkier 。
?"。
"I know! The Air Monarch ... but with ... wait for it ... a fatherly maxim on the tongue!"。
And boom -- there's your Don Draper moment, folks. 。
Sadly, the Carroll-exclusive nature of these Air Monarch iterations means they'll likely never be available for purchase. But Nike could really be on to something here. "Always compete" isn't just a Carroll coaching favorite -- it sounds like something your dad would tell you with the utmost conviction on an emotional ride home from baseball practice. 。
Perhaps Nike could boost the Air Monarch's appeal in the dad market even further by making this a thing. Might we suggest companion versions of the shoe with the following sayings emblazoned on the tongue. 。
"I'm not mad, just disappointed."。
"I'm not mad, just disappointed." 。
"Money doesn't grow on trees."。
"A little hard work never hurt anyone."。
"Don't call me later, call me dad."。
"Perhaps you should consider a major that's a bit more practical."。
"Don't tell your mother."。
"I can't wait to read Bruce Springsteen's new autobiography."。
Well, maybe that last one is a little too long.。But come on, Nike. Just do it, as the saying goes. These are the Air Monarchs we -- or at least our dads -- deserve. 。Featured Video For You。Nike’s self-lacing sneakers are on their way, but they ain’t cheap 。