The ‘2+3+2 (+3)’ Project: NFC West Division

Welcome back to the “2+3+2 (+2)” project. Today is the final entry.

Click to see: AFC East

NFC East

AFC North

NFC North

AFC South

NFC South

AFC West

Today we’ll tackle the NFC West.

If you want to see the genesis of how this project came about, please refer to the AFC East post.

To sum up, the project parameters are the following:

• All teams will have 2 helmets, 3 jerseys, 2 pants and 3 socks

• All uniform elements will be “interchangeable” (any combinations can be worn)

• Some teams will be given two options: current uniform and throwback (or fauxback/alternate)

• Opposing teams will wear different color elements (helmet/jersey/pant/socks)

• Home team will select its color combo, and away team will then select its combos. No elements can match opposing team

• To the extent possible, uniforms will be based on a team’s current available options. Where no such options exist, they will be created such that every team has 2/3/2/3 options.

• Where present home and road (and/or alternate) uniform template designs differ, they will be “streamlined” to have one single format/style in the 2/3/2/3 parameters

• Color vs. color will be permitted. The only exception is only one team can wear its “dark” jersey (the opponent can pair their color “medium” jersey vs. opponent’s “dark” jersey)

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NFC West

ARIZONA CARDINALS

The Cardinals (finally) got new uniforms this year, and most of us agree, they’re pretty terrible. So far, the team hasn’t worn anything but mono (be it bloodclot, all-white, or mono-black). Most of us also agree, their all-white set has potential (and the all-black has gotta go). Obviously, it’s way too early to start thinking about throwbacks, but I’m gonna go there anyway. Although the team, with the new set, have all the options they need to go 2/3/2/3, the black elements — other than striping — will be jettisoned. The team also introduced a new color — silver/gray — so we’ll use that instead of black.

Current uniform

There are many problems with the new set, but the most egregious is the team’s insistence on going mono. They’ll still have that option, but the team looks much better when jerseys and pants don’t match. The first change I made was to remove the ginormous “ARIZONA” wordmark on the red jersey. The striping pattern found on the white (and black) jersey and pants are actually pretty nice, so we’ll use that across the board. The team has had a white helmet since the late 1950s, but when they played in Chicago, the team did use a red shell, so I’ve added that to the mix here. And for the third jersey/socks color, I’ve used the new silver/gray. It’s amazing how much better (and with just a few tweaks) this new uniform looks with proper striping and a mix/match of colors.

Throwback uniform

As noted above, the Cardinals probably don’t need a throwback uniform, but I created one based on their final years in St. Looey.

These aren’t all that different from the tweaks I gave to the current set, but the standard block numbers and removal of the silver (which was not present) are the biggest changes … except for the third color. I didn’t want to use black, so instead I created a helmet, jersey and socks in a pleasing “desert” sand color, which I actually think works quite well. I’d never want to actually see them in this (the Cards are red and white!), but in order to fit the 2/3/2/3 format, I went with it.

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SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

The Niners have both a classic current uniform and a fauxback (in both red and white versions) so we’ll give them two sets here.

Current uniform

The team prominently feature a gold helmet and pants, but not a jersey or socks, so for this exercise, I gave them one of each. And the 49ers are another team who have worn a red helmet in the past, so I basically created an inverse of their current gold lid. I’m not sure I’m in love with the “opposite” effect of red/gold/red, but for the 2/3/2/3, it’s an option.

Throw/fauxback uniform

Aside from primarily wearing gold (the team is named for the 1849 Gold Rush), there were several years when the team wore silver elements, including a silver helmet. Their current throwback is actually a fauxback (created in 1994) which itself attempted to replicate the 1955 season. In order to make it more accurate, I created a blank red shell which is period-correct. For a third color, I decided to go with the silver that was worn in the early 1960s, and created a silver shell with the team’s original logo — the first time a logo ever appeared on a 49ers helmet. The design (set in 1963) was different from the 1955 — so that part would be a fauxback — but allows the team to show off multiple eras on uniforms with one set. The silver/gray jersey and socks are created to fulfill the 2/3/2/3 project parameters (although I wouldn’t want to see either on the field).

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LOS ANGELES RAMS

The Rams got new, modern uniforms in 2020, featuring a lot of superfluous bells and whistles (gradient numbers, the “Hello, My Name Is” patch). That first year, the team promised a new uniform set for 2021 and 2022. While they did add a white jersey for 2021, there was no new offering (rumored to be a yellow jersey and white pants) in 2022 or 2023.

Current uniform

I cleaned up the extra doo-dads (numbers now solid color, no “nametag”) for their current set, and created the yellow jersey/white pants that were rumored for 2022. For the blue helmet with yellow horns, I changed the mask from royal blue to yellow. But the team still lacks a second shell, so I created an inverse helmet which is a yellow shell with blue horns, and added back the blue mask on the new shell. Pants are yellow and white (eliminating the blue they currently have) and both white and yellow socks are now an option. This streamlines the uniform across the various color choices, and IMO doesn’t look that bad once the extras are removed.

Throwback uniform

Similar thinking goes into the throwback — do you remember when the Rams played the Patriots in the 2019 Super Bowl? The team’s uniforms were so bad that season, they received special dispensation to wear their “throwback” for the Supe. While some like the style of the newer, modern uniforms, there is still great affection for the throwback. So I basically recreated that 2019 Super Bowl uniform, fixing the navy blue shell to match the royal blue for the home. For a “medium” I again went with a gold jersey. Pants in this set will be gold and white, and an “inverse” helmet was added. As most of you know, from 1964-1972, the Rams ditched the gold from their uniforms, and went with only white and blue. By changing the gold horns from the blue helmet to white, I am able to create a second throwback with this set. And lest you think the gold jersey/white pants isn’t itself a throwback, the Rams wore that combination from 1951-1957. That’s a look they threw back to in 1994. So, with this, you get three throw/fauxbacks in one! So, yeah.

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SEATTLE SEAHAWKS

Like several other teams, the Seahawks introduced new throwbacks (which almost everyone thinks should be permanent) this season, while still wearing their modern uniform introduced by Nike in 2012. This uniform has actually grown on me over the years, and about the only combination that I don’t like is when the team goes mono-blue. With the throwback, the team introduced a new silver helmet, and they had until recently four jerseys: blue, gray, white and “Action” green. I’ll need to change the silver to gray for the second helmet, and eliminate one jersey (which will be the white one) for the current set.

Current uniform

The new gray helmet I think actually works very well with this set (even if the neon green seems an outlier, color-wise), and the team will have blue and gray pants options. I thought about eliminating the green jersey, but that would leave the team with white and gray — which are very similar, so I kept the neon option. I’d hope they’d keep the neon jersey and socks to an absolute minimum, as I think the blue and gray work well.

Throwback uniform

Like so many who’ve said, “the throwbacks should be their full time uni!” I went ahead and created a full set, per the 2/3/2/3 protocol. They currently have a silver/gray helmet, so I created a new royal blue helmet, as well as a silver/gray jersey and socks, to complete the set. The team did not have a second set of pants when they wore this uni, so I gave them a set of royal blue. I think I actually like the new silver/gray jersey a bit better than the white, as it picks up the color of the helmet. I’m not sure I’d want to see them go with the royal helmet, but it was needed to fill out the 2/3/2/3 parameters.

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Thanks for indulging me for this entire project, and I hope you at least enjoy the concept of 2/3/2/3. Please leave any comments/suggestions/critiques in the comments below!