AWS brings generative AI to NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign to power purpose-driven design

See how NFL stars Maxx Crosby, Josh Allen, and DK Metcalf used AWS generative AI to design cause-focused cleats—and now you can too

The National Football League’s (NFL) “My Cause My Cleats” initiative has fused sports and philanthropy since 2016, inviting fans to connect with players’ personal causes displayed on custom-designed cleats.

This year, the initiative receives an upgrade, courtesy of generative AI tools. During weeks 13 and 14 of this year’s NFL season, players like Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills, and DK Metcalf of the Seattle Seahawks hit the field in cleats they designed themselves—with a significant assist using cutting-edge AI tech from Amazon Web Services (AWS). And, for the first time, fans are invited to join in the creative process, using a generative AI app from AWS to craft their own cleats in support of the causes they love.

Generating awareness through AI design

For NFL athletes, the My Cause My Cleats program offers more than a chance to make a fashion statement—it’s an opportunity to connect with communities and amplify causes close to their hearts. Each custom cleat sparks a narrative, bringing fans into the fold and boosting fundraising and volunteerism efforts across the nation. The NFL’s partnership with AWS takes this impact to a new level, merging generative AI with intuitive design features to offer fans an opportunity to create personalized, purpose-driven cleats. With AWS’s latest tech, the connection between players, fans, and causes feels more meaningful—and more immediate—than ever.

How it works

Here’s how the design process unfolds: to create a custom cleat, players first provide a short descriptive prompt, a powerful tool that guides the AI’s artistic direction. The prompt can be as simple as “ocean waves in blue” or “electric graffiti,” directing the AI to capture the essence of the player’s cause or message. After that, players choose an art style that aligns with their vision, whether that’s a bold, street-style Graffiti, an elegant Watercolor, or the edgy look of Pixelated and Grunge styles. With the aesthetics set, they select up to three primary colors to give the AI model a refined palette to work with.

Behind the scenes, the cleat design experience leverages Anthropic’s Claude in Amazon Bedrock. Claude is a state-of-the-art large language model that converts the players’ preferences into a detailed prompt ready for image generation. This prompt is then processed by Stability AI’s Stable Diffusion image generation model in Amazon Bedrock, hosted on Amazon EC2’s A100 GPUs, which rapidly generates high-quality custom artwork. These GPUs handle the heavy processing load that allows the AI to create stunning, high-resolution images within seconds. The players can then apply the design to their cleats in various configurations—whether across the whole shoe or in targeted areas like the heel or toe.

Customization doesn’t stop there. For a final, unique touch, the players can add extra elements, like team logos, stickers for specific causes, and personalized colors for soles and laces. This combination of AI-driven creativity and user-led customization makes each pair of cleats a personal statement, reflecting the player’s cause and aesthetic. With technology from AWS, the NFL has transformed cleat design into a collaborative, community-focused experience that builds a bridge between tech and personal expression on the field.

From the cloud to NFL gridiron

My Cause My Cleats brings technology and philanthropy together, allowing NFL stars and fans alike to create personalized cleat designs that make a statement on and off the field. Working directly with Maxx Crosby, Josh Allen, and DK Metcalf, AWS designed a platform that empowers players to visually represent causes close to their hearts using the latest developments in generative AI. For Crosby, who supports Pit for Pets, the project became a canvas to promote animal rescue for large breed dogs, an issue that’s personal to him. His custom-designed cleats hit the field against the Kansas City Chiefs on November 29. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen steps out on December 1 to play the San Francisco 49ers with a cleat design dedicated to the Patricia Allen Fund, which supports the Children’s Hospital of Buffalo—a nod to the family-centered community he’s become part of. DK Metcalf, known for his fierce game style, uses his cleats to represent the Prison Fellowship, an organization advocating for justice reform, which he showcases on December 8 against the Arizona Cardinals.

AWS’ generative AI not only facilitates a faster design process but allows players to infuse their cleats with personal touches that add depth and meaning. For Allen, this meant including artwork by kids from the Children’s Hospital, translated into stickers that could be seamlessly applied to his cleats. Photogrammetry tools from AWS provide a heightened level of realism, enabling each player to preview their designs as they appear when applied to their preferred cleat brand and style. This virtual tool helps athletes finalize their designs, make tweaks, and add details that reflect their individual visions before the cleats are hand-painted.

For fans, the AWS-powered experience doesn’t end with watching their favorite players on the field. With the My Cause, My Cleats web experience, they can create their own custom cleats, choosing designs, colors, and cause-related decals that resonate with them personally. The app provides a digital-only version that captures the same sense of ownership and advocacy that defines the NFL’s initiative. Through AWS’ advanced AI tools, these cleat designs are more than just eye-catching—they’re personal stories told through a mix of high-tech innovation and heartfelt causes.

To learn more about each athlete’s design process, check out these behind-the-scenes videos from Maxx Crosby, Josh Allen, and DK Metcalf.

Create and share your own cause-focused cleat designs from the ‘AWS X NFL My Cause My Cleats’ landing page.