Photo via: Aaron Hernandez Twitter
Known primarily for their presence in the soccer market (or as the rest of the world refers to as futbol)/football) Puma announced today the signing of the talented 23 year old New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez to a two year contract. The signing of Hernandez is reminiscent of when Puma signed the legendary NFL quarterback Joe Namath to a contract some 40+ years ago. DeFY. New York caught up with Aaron to talk Puma.
First and foremost I wanted to congratulate you on the partnership with Puma and thank you for taking the time out of your hectic schedule to talk with DeFY. New York
DeFY: How did this partnership come about?
Aaron: Puma contacted one of my agents and I’ve always been interested in Puma so when I was introduced with the offer of signing with them I was excited and really couldn’t have been happier. I’ve always loved their shoes, clothing…it was just the perfect fit.
DeFY: Can we expect a signature line bearing your name in the near future.
Aaron: I’m not sure about that but if that comes a long, I’d definitely be excited for that
DeFY: You sport a lot of ink and I’ve read that your tattoos have very deep meaning to you. With that said, do you think there might be a possibility down the line that maybe some of your tattoo art may work its way into the product line?
Aaron: You never know, but it will depend on how these first couple of years go.
DeFY: Or is it that the tattoos are to personal and you want to keep it something special for yourself, not really to be displayed on a shoes and apparel?
Aaron: I’m not 100%, most of my tattoos are all personal but you never know what the future brings
DeFY: Will you be involved in the design process?
Aaron: Well I’m sure they have their own designers but if they ever ask me lol trust me I’ll be sure to help
DeFY: Haha! What is it about Puma’s product that you prefer over the competition?
Aaron: Its a combination of things. First, the Puma family are great people, really down to earth and I love being around them. They have great product and especially what I need because they have the Bioweb shoe which is durable. I work on my cutting and footwork a lot and you need a durable shoe for that. They also look good and I love the way they use bright colors on all their shoes and work out clothes.
DeFY: Sneaker culture is really big and a lot of pro atheletes collect sneakers. Do you collect sneakers and if so whats your favorite pair of Puma’s in your collection and why?
Aaron: Um, I actually don’t collect sneakers, but now that I have a whole bunch of Puma gear in my closet, it looks like I collect Puma lol.
DeFY: Haha, I bet.
Aaron: But, as far as my favorite, the Bioweb in grey with green and the other with orange in it. Their super bright which I love, comfy and real sturdy. Its just a really good shoe. When your in the NFL you need a really good shoe at this level and its perfect for my training, especially the way I train.
DeFY: This partnership will go down for Puma as one of the biggest endorsements by an NFL player since Joe Namath. Do you have any Joe Namath like Super Bowl predictions for this up coming season?
Aaron: Theres no Super Bowl predictions but I know in my mind that we are trying to get there every year and we expect to get there every year; but other than that, thats it.
DeFY: Ok, well I know you’ve been inundated with questions all day and once again I appreciate you taking out some time for DeFY. New York.
Aaron: Its been a pleasure, thank you for the interview.
DeFY: Best of luck this season
To learn more about PUMA’s training category and Aaron’s favorite gear go to puma.com/bioweb you can also get brand updates at facebook.com/puma or follow the brand via Twitter, instagram and Vine at @puma. Follow Aaron as he trains with PUMA at @AaronHernandez