<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2004-01-12</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000320187</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NIKE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>nke</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001237789</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BLAIR DONALD W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>ONE BOWERMAN DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BEAVERTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97005</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President and CFO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2004-01-12</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <deemedExecutionDate>
          <value>2004-01-12</value>
      </deemedExecutionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>3765</value>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>69.00</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>16119</value>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>52</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>ESPP</value>
              <footnoteId id="F4" />
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
    <nonDerivativeHolding>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Class B Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>542</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>Retirement Plan</value>
              <footnoteId id="F5" />
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeHolding>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Transaction pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 Trading Plan.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">Pursuant to Company policy, market sales of the Company stock by officers and directors are permitted only in quarterly window periods commencing on the third business day following each earnings release and ending 30 days later.          </footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">Includes 929 shares granted under the NIKE, Inc. Long Term Incentive Plan, and 11,485 shares granted under the NIKE, Inc. 1990 St
ock Incentive Plan.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F4">Shares held in account under NIKE, Inc. Employee Stock Purchase Plan.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F5">Shares held in account under the NIKE, Inc. Retirement Savings Plan.</footnote>
</footnotes>
<remarks></remarks>    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>/s/John F. Coburn III on behalf of Donald W. Blair</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2004-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>

