Rockport is teaming up with former NFL quarterback turned sports analyst Matt Leinart ahead of the official start to football season.

As Rockport’s newest brand ambassador, Leinart will star in the comfort shoe brand’s fall 2026 campaign, dubbed “10 Minutes to Kickoff.” In the new spot, Leinart puts to the test Rockport’s “Comfort in Motion” shoes across his demanding schedule from the broadcast booth to the football field.

The campaign follows Leinart as an unexpected traffic jam leaves him with just minutes to make it to his youth football team’s practice. Rather than miss kickoff, he leaves his car behind and takes off on foot, running through the neighborhood before arriving at the field just in time to lead the team’s first drill.

“Life looks a lot different for me now than it did when I was playing,” Leinart said in a statement. “I’m going from the broadcast to spending time with my family. I want to feel good in what I’m wearing and know it can keep up with my day. That’s what I appreciate about Rockport.”

A Heisman Trophy winner and former NFL quarterback, Leinart has transitioned from the field to sports media. His evolution into a prominent football analyst is “a great reflection” of how careers and lifestyles continue to evolve, Christina Martin Pieper, executive vice president of lifestyle at Rockport owner Authentic Brands Group, added.

“He brings the same drive and versatility to life today that defined him on the field, and that makes him an exciting partner for Rockport,” Martin Pieper noted. “Through this campaign, we’re bringing to life our belief that footwear should be ready for whatever the day demands without asking consumers to compromise on comfort or style.”

The new fall campaign from Rockport follows its AI-driven spot with legendary basketball player Julius “Dr. J” Erving in April. In what was his first major brand deal in years, the comfort shoe brand used artificial intelligence to reframe Dr. J’s legacy through a new lens using technology to “explore how decades of influence across sport, style and culture continue to shape his perspective today,” the company said.

This is the latest move from Rockport since it was scooped up by Authentic Brands Group in 2023 for an undisclosed sum. At the time of the deal, ABG signed a long-term licensing agreement with Marc Fisher Footwear, making it Rockport’s U.S. footwear partner that will oversee footwear design as well as wholesale and e-commerce operations.

In May 2025, ABG signed a deal with Chapters Brand Group to distribute Rockport across the U.K. and Ireland. Under the terms of the agreement, Chapter will distribute Rockport men’s and women’s footwear across the regions.

The Rockport fall 2026 campaign starring Leinart is now live on social channels and Rockport.com.