It’ll be a visual rematch of Super Bowl VI this Sunday in Miami, as the Dolphins wear their gorgeous aqua throwbacks against the Cowboys. So the uniforms will be very similar to what these two teams wore when they faced off in the big game on Jan. 16, 1972 (which, as it happens, was the first Super Bowl watched by a Long Island boy who would later grow up to write about uniforms). Here’s how that game looked:
This Sunday’s game will also feature a retro field design:
This will be the Dolphins’ second throwback game this year, although the first for the aqua uniform. They wore white throwbacks on Oct. 29, when they defeated the Patriots, 31-17. Here’s a look at that throwback uni (additional photos here):
The last time the Dolphins wore the aqua throwbacks was Oct. 23 of last year, when they went retro for a 16-10 victory over the Steelers.
Obviously, they should promote both of these throwbacks to primary status, but we’ve all been saying that for years, to no avail.
This Sunday’s game is scheduled to kick off at 4:25pm Eastern.
Agreed. Of course why the Cowboys can’t go back to that seriffed, Cowboy looking number font has vexed me for years as well.
I like that when teams use throwbacks, the players for the most part wear the uniforms with the correct socks.
I hate when teams go completely white when the uniform is supposed to have contrasting socks, like the 49ers white throwbacks; that set would look a hundred times better with the contrasting red socks
Or in the case of teams like the Eagles, white pants with white socks looks horrible. Just wear the damn black socks.
If teams would just wear the correct socks with their uniforms, the (uni) world would be a much better place.
Agree 100%. Reddick is one of the few Eagles who wears his socks correctly. Maybe if we all wrote a letter to Goodell he’d consider taking socks more seriously?
Man I wish teams would stop this untucked undershirt nonsense. Such a sloppy look and it takes away from both the jersey and pants. Plus all these mismatched socks looks terrible too. There’s no uniformity there anymore. That being said, the Dolphins have gorgeous throwbacks, and they need to bring them back permanently.
The Dolphins didn’t have sleeve striping in Super Bowl VI, and the pant striping colors were reversed
Paul did say the look will be very similar, not exactly the same.
Typically they are throwing back to the 1972 (white set) and 1973 (aqua set) championship seasons. But for the aqua to be a throwback to 1973 it requires either plan aqua socks, or a pretty outlandish orange with white and light blue (not aqua) stripes.
I’m pretty sure they never go with plain aqua or the orange stripe socks, so the aqua throwbacks are not accurate to any season, as by the time they had the aqua socks with stripes in 1974, the logo was changed and the dolphin was centered in the sun, as opposed to the original logo see in these throwbacks.
My preference would be to go with these uniforms permanently, except use the 1997 version of the logo (sans navy shading).
Actually the Dolphins are throwing back to their inaugural season of 1966 – that was the only year they had the aqua/orange/aqua pants stripes with the original uniforms. Also the helmet striping is slightly different (wider spacing). Unfortunately they are no longer wearing proper socks with stripes that match the sleeves (as shown in the lede photo) and are wearing the ones shown in the photo from the 10/29 game. But these are still much better than the primary set.
I’m probably in the minority on this but I think the Dolphins current uni set was an upgrade. A dolphin wearing a helmet with the letter M on it? Always looked minor league to me.
A dolphin not wearing any helmet at all just isn’t safe!
This was the first Super Bowl I remember watching. I’m sure I heard the first one in my mother’s womb, and I’m sure I was around the TV for II through V. But this matchup has special meaning for me.
And even if Miami doesn’t make these unis permanent, at least make those end zones permanent
You definitely are in the minority. Nothing wrong with that. But the audaciousness of a teal/aqua look back then must have been off the charts. Why not throw in a football helmet on a dolphin? Just wish they’d gone the extra mile of detail and made it full-on Droste effect. Go Cowboys.
It wasn’t that audacious… that color combo is very popular with mid century modern design. It was “trendy” for the time period.
It was certainly unique in the world of sports. I might be overlooking a team or two, but I don’t think there was a single other Big 4 sports team that wore teal until seemingly every expansion team opted for this color in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
You’re right. It should be a Dolphin wearing a helmet with a picture of a Dolphin wearing a helmet (with a picture of a Dolphin wearing a helmet).
I’m with you.
While the update was much improved than what preceded it:
link
…it needed a few tweaks to become one of the better modernizations.
I prefer the throwbacks to be worn just every-so-often, not full time.
I agree with you.
The current set is bright, and cheerful, its a modern classic.
The 1970s throwback is nice but its not like the Seahawks or the Falcons where its clearly superior to the current set. Other than the nostalgia factor, nothing about it makes me say “this is what they should be wearing every week”
I also like the new set, especially the colors… but throw a helmet on the dolphin already
Back in 1972 the Cowboys still looked like they had gray pants. When did Tex Schramm see the sea-foam green car interior as inspiration and changed the Cowboys pant colors.
According to Trucolor.net, the “Silver Green” came in 1990, so seeing as that was after Schramm, I suppose you can blame Jerry Jones for that.
This sentiment applies to more teams with throwbacks than not.
Apples:
Patriots, Jets, Giants white CR, Steelers (number font), Eagles, Lions, Falcons, Bucs, Dolphins, Broncos (orange CR), Seahawks), Texans (buy back Oilers brand)
Doesn’t apply:
Giants (home blue), Saints, Cowboys, Vikings, 49ers
This is one goofy retro helmet logo I actually pine for. I love it. I’m not a big advocate for every team just having block athletic font numbers, but the dolphins current number font stinks if you ask me. The treatment of the numbers 1 and 7 are really rough for me to look at in particular.
Dolphins may have been my first uni love actually.
I’ve come around on the Dolphins’ regular set in the past year or so. I’ve decided I much prefer their current logo to any of their throwback logos, and the shade of teal they use is my favorite of all the shades they’ve used previously. I don’t mind the stripes on the throwbacks, but I don’t think they add as much as I originally felt. I bet if the socks were striped on the standard uniforms, that’d be enough for most people.
Either way, the facemasks bug me on either set; both would benefit tremendously from a switch to teal masks like they had pre-2013. But I can live with the white masks WAY more than I can live with the gray. Yes, I get that gray is traditional and all that. But it looks especially drab on these uniforms compared to most others, given how bright everything else on the uniform is. I think that honestly is what pushed me over to the current set more than anything.
You have absolutely nailed it on the head. I feel the exact same way about the throwbacks vs. the current uni set. I’m a lifelong Fins fan and a season ticket holder, but I wouldn’t be thrilled if they made the throwbacks permanent. Twice a year? I can live with that. But I agree that they’re too dated at this point, and the gray facemasks simply don’t work as well as people think they do. One more thing. Non-Fins fans are always dragging the team about dwelling on accomplishments from 50+ year ago. Return to this uni set full time would do nothing to help put that criticism behind the team.
I honestly don’t think the Dolphins current unis are that bad. Until they added some orange, not so much. But, I think some more orange could be incorporated to really make that shade of aqua really pop.
Gray facemasks belong in the past. At one time, they were all there was, until the San Diego Chargers introduced colored facemasks in 1974, and other teams followed suit after that, such as the Colts (white), Steelers (black), Seahawks (blue), Saints (black), etc. The Buccaneers always had colored facemasks since 1976. While some teams look okay in gray (Cowboys, Raiders) as it accentuates the NATURAL team colors, other teams that wear gray, especially those with white helmets – does nothing for the aesthetic design of the uniform (Colts with gray masks, Cardinals with gray/silver masks). The Colts befuddle me; they started with white, changed to blue, and then back to gray. Either white or blue would be a much needed improvement, and the Cardinals current set is still just plain awful. The Dolphins look better with white masks, or even with the current set, perhaps teal. With technology (never mind the Nike cloth ill-matching of uniform elements, etc.) any color is now possible. Just consider UCLA, who surprisingly look fantastic with the metallic gold facemasks matching the helmets.
The Chicago Bears will be wearing their 1936 throwbacks (wolverine helmet) against Arizona on Sunday.
So that means…mono-cardinal on the road? Ugh.
Or worse…the ‘much anticipated’ mix-n-match/mismatch W/R/W combo? Woof.
The Miami Dolphins original uniforms and helmet logo have a special meaning to me. As a 10 year old from the Netherlands, far removed from any football being played live or on TV over here, seeing them in action in a picture of an issue of SI was like watching the Empire State Building, the Eifel Tower or Big Ben in reality for the first time. A magical experience. The Dolphins are not my favorite NFL team ( I embraced the Giants later on in life) but this original uniform is my favorite sports uniform ever. Bringing it back permanently would be great but on the other hand: that first feeling of wow cannot be repeated. So I accept their current uniform (even if it is too minimalistic and I do not like the number font). We evolve, we move on in life.
As a lifelong Dolphins fan, the current uni set has grown on me over the years especially after they tweaked them in 2018. There are two things that I wish would get changed: (1) switch back to an aqua or grey facemask, and (2) switch back to any of the past logos from 1966 through 2012. I’m just not a big fan of the current logo. IMO, it just looks like a generic dolphin image or a knockoff Seaworld logo. That being said, I still prefer the throwbacks with one change: change the striping on the pants to the pattern that was worn through 1985.
The great thing about Miami’s throwbacks is that they could throwback to pretty much any classic combo from 1966-1985 depending on the helmet logo, face mask color, sock style (solid aqua, aqua with orange/white stripes and orange and aqua/white stripes) and the addition of a second set of pants with the orange/aqua/orange stripe pattern.
As a lifelong Dolphins fan I love their throwback uniforms and would like them to be their permanent uniforms. Their colors and helmet wearing dolphin was a big initial attraction for me. Of course going 17-0 in 1972 sealed the deal for me. So far they are the NFL team to have perfect season and win the Super Bowl. I have been a Dolphins fan for 52 years and will be for the rest of my life. Too bad they don’t have Coach Shula leading the great players at that time. It’s good to see them winning again after such a drought. Go Phins!