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Jacksonville Jaguars Unveil “Prowler” Throwback Uniform

The Jacksonville Jaguars have unveiled their “new” throwback uniforms, as part of the celebration of their 30th season, which they’ve nicknamed “Prowler Throwbacks.” According to the team, the “uniform (is) based on the team’s original 1995 expansion uniforms.”

Well, not quite 1995. You see, in their inaugural season, the Jaguars number font was of the block variety, but the throwbacks have more rounded numbers. The team would introduce the rounded number fonts in 1997 (although that jersey had a solid black side panel). They removed that side panel in 1998, which is a lot closer to the throwback uniform just unveiled.

The Prowler Throwbacks were revealed on social media on Thursday in a 1990s-themed video featuring safety Andre Cisco, cornerback Tyson Campbell and Jaguars legend/right tackle Leon Searcy. Let’s take a look at the hype video now.

Lots of quick cuts there, so I made several screengrabs from the video:

The nickname “Prowler” comes from the jaguar logo located on the sleeve.

Let’s break down the uniforms now.

HELMET

Based on the original helmet, the throwback lid is a glossy black with the original Jaguars logo on the side used by the team in the inaugural season of 1995 until 2013. The helmet has a black face mask and “JAGUARS” is on the nose bumper.

JERSEY

The teal-ish jersey features a contrasting black collar with the “NFL” shield (as it appeared on the originals), with white numerals outlined in gold and black. Sleeve caps have a gold stripe and a black stripe. The prowling jaguar logo sits atop the stripes on the sleeve cap. White TV numbers (in the same style as the front numbers) are on top of the shoulders.

The jersey is on Nike’s newest chassis template.

The back of the jersey has NOB in white with gold/black outline, and giant numbers (same style).

PANTS

The pants are, thankfully, white (by 2002, the team would add a black pants option). Side stripes are black/teal/black with the stripes separated by a very thin gold piping. Here’s a closer look at that.

Here are some additional views.

So how do the throwbacks compare to the originals, and exactly which year(s) did the Jags use?

Thanks to Paul’s earlier excellent sleuthing, we can confirm that these are indeed based off of the 1998 uniform — and not the original 1995 expansion uniforms (as the Jags themselves proclaimed in their release). There’s not much difference between the two uniforms, but we’re sticklers for accuracy here at Uni Watch, and the throwback is definitely not from 1995.

The team has announced they will wear these throwbacks in Week 5 (October 6th) against the Indianapolis Colts, when former head coach Tom Coughlin is to be inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars.

_________

Like probably all or almost all of you reading this, I’m extremely pleased to be seeing this uniform on the field again. And I think I speak for the majority of us when I say “These should be their permanent home uniforms.” As many of you know, the Jaguars have changed uniforms often, particularly in the last 15 years. In 2009, they began to embark on three different designs every five years, beginning with the colorshifting helmet era, followed by 2013’s worst unis of all time(?) era, and finally to 2018’s return to a simpler design. In case you’re wondering, the Jags have worn their current set for six seasons (and will add a seventh this year), which will already be two years longer than their previous 5-year minimum sets.

Could these throwbacks be a bit of a trial balloon for another redesign? Possibly — but the Jaguars are celebrating their 30th season this year, so it’s also possible they’re just celebrating the occasion with the best uniform they’ve ever worn. Like I noted above, I’m sure I won’t be the first one to say “just make these permanent.”

While I was never overly enamored with the Jaguars uniforms, the throwback they’ve chosen definitely is the best one they’ve ever worn. Shortly after these were introduced, the Jags decided to get away from the “teal” (and gold) and move to a more black-based uniform set. In fact, their current set (introduced in 2018) has almost no gold at all, with the exception of the logo found on the helmet and jersey patch.

It’s nigh time for the Jags to redesign again — and we can only hope that when they do, they’ll base their new uniforms around this specific throwback. In fact, when I was doing my “2+3+2+3” series, I hoped the Jags would reintroduce this specific style, with a nod to adding even more gold to the uniform equation.

But that’s for another day. For now, let’s just enjoy the 1998 throwbacks. I only wish the team would wear them more than once this season. Let’s hope this is a portent for things to come!

Your thoughts?

 
  
 
Comments (40)

    Two overrated throwbacks in one week! Teal just never works. Especially outfitted in gold with weird eurofoil stylings. Old ladies like this color combination for balloons at 75th anniversaries.

    Perfect! This is one of the most underrated uniforms ever. Everyone is going to say this, but make them the primary uniforms!

    This shows how bad the current uniforms are without the gold accent. These are just very solid and hope they do bring them back full time.
    Hype video was A+; very well done.

    A perfect example of, “if it aint broke, don’t fix it.”
    Really should just go back to this but with the new logo, and just create a full body version of the new logo for the sleeves.
    Though personally I’ve always wanted them to go the gold helmet route, be a teal/gold team with just some black trim. And while I don’t like the various helmet finish gimmicks, I’d really be on board with them going with a chrome type gold, like what ND wears. However I’d be very happy if they just went back to this.
    Also it is weird that I have no memory of them using the block font. I definitely remember the short lived black side panels, but I can only picture them with their custom font, the picture with the block font stands out as completely out of place.

    Obviously, I liked the block-numeraled originals better. But these are nice too. And, duh, better than what they have now.

    So much better than their current uniform. Just as long as they wear them with black socks to mimic the original look as close as possible it will look great (I hope they don’t pair this with all white socks but I have a bad feeling some players will anyway)

    I like the newer shade of teal. It seems brighter than the old. Thus will always be the best loom for the Jags.

    As a Jacksonville resident who was fifteen when the Jaguars entered the league, I can’t even feign any objectivity here. But no notes.

    I wouldn’t count on seeing more gold in the Jaguars set any time soon. Lived in Jacksonville for a while and Shad Khan doesn’t like the gold color for the team very much.

    As a panthers fan, with a few tweaks (teal to cyan blue, gold to silver, jag to panther) you have the perfect carolina panthers look. I feel like the prowling panther on the shoulder would’ve also been great for them, same with the numbers and striping and black helmet. Looks awesome for the Jags though – I’m jealous – they never should’ve changed it!

    FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!! These are my favorites they have ever had, hands down. Their current set is just too “blah”.

    I thought I would be excited and glad to see these come out today, but instead I’m angry. I know no one is making me watch sports and I’m free to do what I want, but as a fan, it’s frustrating to have watched this team play in garbage uniforms when they never should have changed in the first place. And why? What was the purpose? To make a few more dollars selling new merch? I know I’m an old man shouting at the sky here, but they need to stop this. No one needs as much as money as they’re trying to squeeze out of us.

    Gorgeous. I wonder if the re-introduced gold elements and number outlines might make the black/teal/black combo more palatable.

    They should have never changed from this uniform! I do like the current logo better and I will say I hated the two-tone helmets but if they used teal instead of gold that would have looked much better!

    The gold makes the teal and black pop so much more. They should absolutely make this the permanent look or some version of it. I also (and I may be in the minority) have always thought the old jaguar logo looked better than the new one, but perhaps that’s just the 90s kid in me.

    Love that these are back, by far their best look. If they’d add the pants piping to the current set that would be a massive improvement. The accents and everything with the 90s set was about as good as you can get; there were rumors of teal pants but those never came into existence.

    You have to wonder if another jersey is coming at some point with the black MJD jersey featured prominently in the background. That was the next generation of Jags uniforms.

    Uniform looks nice, but the modern fit/tailoring will put it in the category of “Throwbacks that the average viewer doesn’t realize is a throwback”.

    Looks good. I wouldn’t mind seeing something like this paired with the 2009-style color-shifting helmet on a more permanent basis. I always liked that helmet (just not the rest of the uniform that went with it).

    This just reminded me that I honestly don’t even know what the current Jags uni looks like, now that I think about it. When I close my eyes and think “the Jags,” these are exactly what I see in my mind’s eye. And they look good!

    So yeah, add another voice to the “full time” choir.

    Honestly would love to see a jaguar print alternate helmet. Surprised it’s never been on the table too knowing Nike.

    I think what John H meant was a “Bengal-esque” type of helmet. A helmet covered in jaguar spots.

    I don’t actually think these are particularly great, but rather a reflection of how bad the last few looks have been. That said, it’ll be so nice to see proper stripes on the pants.

    Honestly I find the differences in their uniforms to be hard to notice, unless you really study them

    Unfortunate that we only get to see these once this season. I’m probably in the minority on this but I’d love to see these with the bass boat helmets. Either way it’s refreshing to see these again.

    Hey I like it. I am not complaining but I prefer 1995-96 better because of the number font and pant striping.

    To make these “permanent”: Take this template and just modernize it slightly, like the Chargers did. All they need to do.

    Just a quick thought. In the hype video the box with the throwbacks in has ‘1999’ written on it. So maybe the uniform is meant to be based on the 1998-2008 era, and the PR team has got it wrong…

    All I can think about is Jax has been around for 30 years? Gee, time flies. I still think of them as a new team.

    Way, way, way better than any other uni the Jaguars had. Just like what everyone else is thinking, they need to make these the primary unis ASAP.

    Now, the only jersey leaked by Antonio Brown/CTESPN left is the white Seahawks jersey that looks like a modernized throwback. I wonder if that was actually real or not.

    To be honest, I’m not a big proponent of teams permanently returning to throwbacks full time. If every team did that, then there wouldn’t actually be any throwbacks to be excited about. I like some of the modern designs in the NFL, including Jacksonville’s. I just wish they would add more gold trim to them.

    Not a bad uniform, however the 95-96 looks better with the block number font. It’s a more classic look. They should try a teal or gold helmet for a change. Why does everything have to be black? Too many teams use it for an alternate.

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