Good morning, Uni Watchers, and welcome to Week Three of your Monday Morning Uni Watch. I hope everyone has had a pleasant weekend
After wearing white jerseys for the entire preseason, as well as their first two games of the 2024 regular season, yesterday the Denver Broncos finally debuted their new orange jerseys.
If you were to take just a quick glance at the new uniforms, they bear more than a passing resemblance to the Broncos’ previous set. But, obviously, these are not your Daddy’s Broncos uniforms.
Gone are the “parentheses” side panels and pants stripes. In are the new sleeve caps and asymmetrical pants stripes. But the navy helmet/orange jersey/white pants is still very Broncos. And they’re starting to grow on me.
One big difference between these and their previous set is the hosiery. With the previous set, the team always wore navy socks with the white pants. Now, the team is pairing their white pants with white hosiery. I know it’s the “in” thing to do, but it’s just not a good look.
If we subtract the socks, this is one of the better looking “modern” NFL uniforms.
Unfortunately, that contrast provided by the navy socks is sorely needed.
Maybe as the season progresses, they’ll add navy socks with the white pants and all will be right with the uni-verse. But for now, what could be a modern classic will simply follow the current uniform trend of wearing same-color hosiery and pants. But other than that, I think this is a pretty good example of making a uniform modern, but with some traditional touches. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty good. Add in some navy socks and it’ll be even better.
And now, on to your MMUW…
Like most of you, I am enjoying the Jets “Sack Exchange”-redux uniforms, and their green/green/white (with green socks) is particularly nice. I’m also a big fan of the green metallic flake helmet they introduced back in 2019, but the only problem is under most lighting conditions, it doesn’t match the jersey color. The helmet is fine when the team wears a white jersey, but it’s a tad distracting with the home green top. The Patriots really need to ditch the navy pants altogether, or pair them with white socks, as they did with their previous set.
This ended up being a better looking game than I thought. It helps so much when both teams wear color contrasting socks (for the most part). It would have been even nicer if the Browns had worn their orange pants, and I still don’t like the Giants road pants, but still a pretty good looking game.
I’m not sure if it’s the Superdome lighting, but it seems the Saints numbers seem to have different shades of gold (although the same effect seemed to take place last week in Dallas). Maybe with their loss to Philly yesterday, they’ll give the gold pants a shot, but I’m not getting my hopes up. OTOH, Philly going midnight green/white/midnight green with white hosiery is not a terrible look. I’m not a fan of white stripeless socks/compression gear, but for teams who wear a white jersey and dark pants, it’s definitely better than wearing hosiery that is the same color as the pants.
As expected, the Vikings wore their beautiful throwbacks against the Texans, whose shoulder horns still are taking some time to get used to. And I know the Vikes’ current satin helmets aren’t period-correct, but they still look much better than the originals, with their mismatched purples. Yes, they should make these permanent.
I discussed the Broncos new orange jerseys at the top, but this game could have looked a tad better if two things had happened: either blue or orange socks for the Broncos, and pewter pants for the Bucs. Don’t get me wrong: I rather like the Bucs in white over white, but on a very bright, sunny day, pewter pants would have looked better against Denver’s all-white bottoms.
It’s hard to believe the Titans are in year seven of their current uniform style. Most teams who went off the rails, design-wise, in recent years (Jets, Buccaneers, Browns) have corrected the mistake after the mandatory five-year window expired. But no, the Titans are stubbornly sticking with this iteration. And it’s really hard to make navy and columbia blue look bad, but somehow they manage to pull it off. And pairing white hosiery with largely stripeless white pants makes it even worse. Does anyone think the Titans are next on the clock for “team most in need of a redesign?” If not them, then who?
Games like this are almost always a visual treat, partially due to the beautiful simplicity of the Colts royal and white beauties. But also because, with only a few tweaks and modern tailoring, this game wouldn’t have looked much different 40+ years ago.
I greatly prefer the Chargers to wear gold pants, but when their opponents also wear gold pants, then I’m OK if they wear white pants. Most guys wore process blue socks (which is absolutely necessary with white pants), but for the few who didn’t, it’s just not a good look. But for everyone else — it made for a pretty good-looking game.
The Seahawks had been getting away from always wearing mono-navy at home, but yesterday they were back in blue against the Dolphins in white/white/aqua/aqua, which is easily their worst look. There’s just something very unappealing when both teams wear the yoga pants look.
I’m generally a big fan of the Panthers uniforms, and it’s hard to have a bad-looking game (for almost any team) when going against the silver and black, but somehow the Panthers managed to do just that. This is a team that should never wear black pants and hosiery (unless they’re going mono-black), but especially not against a black-jersey’ed team. Sigh. This could have looked so much better.
Grrrr. The Rams wearing white jerseys at home vs. the 49ers could have been a classic if the Rams had just worn their yellow pants. But no. In fact, since the Rams went to this new uniform set, they have never worn white over yellow against the 49ers. I’m not sure why they seem to wear white over blue (with royal socks for the yoga pants look) against the 49ers so much, but they do. Grrrr. They’ve got a rematch coming up in December…will they finally wear white/yellow?
Yikes. The ultimate Spy vs. Spy game. Just wow.
When I saw the Ravens were wearing all purple below-the-neck (and not their Color Rush), I thought it might be their first time doing so, but they actually wore that combo against the Rams in 2021, and then again against the Rams in 2023. So, it’s a rare combo to be sure, but not the first time they’ve done so. And honestly, I’m not a fan. I love their CR look, and can’t wait for their CR with their new purple helmet, but they should limit the purple over purple to the CR game(s).
For some reason, both the Falcons — who almost never wear their white pants with their black jerseys — and the Chiefs — who also rarely wear white pants with their white jerseys — decided to break uniform protocol for Sunday Night Football. Normally I love the Chiefs in white over white, but with the Falcons also in white pants, this was one time I’d be all for the Chiefs in red pants. It was still a surprisingly good-looking game though. Any time the Falcons want to not go mono-black, I’m all for it.
Had either of those games been played yesterday, they might have cracked the good side of the 5 & 1. Which should tell you something about the 5 & 1. Read on for that…
I thought it was a little odd that the first time the Broncos wore their new primary Orange jerseys was for a road game. I like these a lot and wished they’d debuted them at Mile High.
The Saints were definitely wearing mismatched golds. Lattimore was wearing numbers that look they came off the throwbacks, or even some reebok-era uniforms
There were a few on the OL too. VERY noticable!
Saints are so frustrating. Could easily have a top 5 set. Instead they insist on going mono black with solid black tights instead of striped socks. Awful.
Gold/Black/Gold would be solid for the Saints…
Saints and Cardinals are both very frustrating. I don’t know why the Saints go mono-black once the season starts, it’s like the preseason is now just to tease everyone. But at least they will probably wear the gold pants a few times. The Cardinals refuse to even give a glimpse in preseason of red over white or white over red.
The Pats and Seahawks are also pretty frustrating with their mono looks but again at least both give us a game or 2 in their best looks, and both have great throwbacks.
The Saints had a lot of success with those uniforms during the Drew Brees era…
I think a lot of fans are nostalgic about that all black uniform even though I think the color Rush is the best thing they’ve got going
I thought I was seeing mismatched colors on the Saints. Thank you for confirming it!
I thought the same thing about the Titans jerseys when I saw the highlights yesterday. They’re just ugly, bad, and doesn’t work. The all white pants and socks are brutal. Also, the number font is atrocious. I think they need to go back to the Oilers colors and just ditch the navy blue. Go back to light blue, red, and white. They can add silver in there too. Simplify it and they can probably create a better uniform that way.
No NFL team should wear hosiery that’s the same color as their pants (unless it’s an all black or all white uniform). That’s gotta end.
When The Titans did their big reveal of that strange costume 7 years ago they showed a number font that they had considered which was essentially the same as what they have not but much bolder. It looked a lot better. But yes, great colors and they have somehow messed it up with every other awful detail. Once in a while you’ll see them in a navy set where a few of the guys are wearing red trim (arm sleeves etc) and it gives you an idea of what they might look like if they committed to red socks etc, which would break up the drudgery… I expect they’ll update the costumes with the new stadium.
The Titans are a textbook case of “Let’s take a decent uniform set, and screw it up.”
Titans need to do what they should have done from the beginning; keep the Oilers uniforms and change the oil derrick logo to something for the Titans. Not the flaming tack logo but the sword logo, a T, something.
It’s very simple and would make their uniforms 100% better but that all means they won’t do it.
Hey Phil, do you have an opinion on teams who wear the same color pants and socks?
Haha. Yeah, I guess I do obsess a bit over the hosiery. But honestly, that one small (relatively) detail can make or break a uniform.
Phil, that’s one of my favorite uniform details that gets overlooked and I have been grateful for years that this site (and you) obsess over it.
One note on the 49ers-Rams item: I suspect the reason the Rams go with blue pants against SF is they want to contrast against the 49ers gold pants. Yes, I know they’re not a remotely similar shade. But I suspect this might be the reason. Maybe if SF busts out the white pants throwbacks we’ll see how the Rams respond.
I’d agree with you (and even thought of that but didn’t add it), but they DO wear their yellow pants against the Niners — a LOT if you look at the GUD graphic — when they have their blue jerseys.
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3 out of the 5 times they’ve worn the blue tops, they’ve paired them with yellow bottoms (with one mono-blue and one dishwater pants).
The thing is, LA has TWO good uniforms (and even that’s debatable): blue over yellow and white over yellow. Why they don’t wear the latter as often as they can is mystifying. But anything with dishwater (tops or pants) or blue pants looks terrible.
What about blue socks specifically>
I’m very happy that you’re using the word yellow in your reply. Did you make a formal announcement that you’re gonna stop calling it gold, or did you just start doing it quietly?
There is a difference in color (shade) between yellow and athletic gold. What the Rams (and the Ducks, prior to this season, for example link) wear is yellow (which they call “Sol”). That’s why I called it yellow. I’m not going to stop calling athletic gold “gold.” But when a team wears yellow — and yes there are a few sprinkled throughout sports — I shall call it that.
Agree with Phil on hosiery; it can make a uniform pop.
Was watching last night’s game and also was surprised at how well the Falcons looked. Not a fan of the red on side of jersey, but overall a very nice looking uni (must be due to the black hosiery).
The jagged edge on the Broncos pants is just dumb. It’s not as bad on the jersey, though, it’s just not that great overall. We get it: They’re from Colorado, which has a lot of mountains. Emphasizing a local geographic feature is cool, if done properly, but not at the risk of bad design. See many of MLB’s City Connect uniforms.
The Broncos need to make a orange stripe on the pants a full stripe or just get rid of it. The rest of the uniform is OK, though it would be better with the full bronco inside the block “D” and even better if they swapped out navy for royal blue. I’m a creature of my first reference to a Broncos uniform and logo, but so be it.
Agree. That stripe is so timid and small. It should be twice as wide and half as cute. This is probably their best of the new options (socks notwithstanding), but it’s way overdesigned and could be so much better.
Get rid of whatever’s going on with the back of the helmet. Get rid of the armpit triangles. Finish the stripe. The orange is fine, but the blue is too dark. Enough with the 5280 stuff. Yeah, yeah, Mile High, we get it.
They had a viable idea with the shoulder caps, but they mixed up the colors on almost all of the jerseys, so it doesn’t really read as a mountaintop. The mountain peak should be white on all three versions.
Yes, yes, 100 percent yes!!
The Raiders and Panthers are both wearing commemorative season patches this year
link
Those Bears away uniforms in dome lighting are one of my favorite concepts. Kudos for staying with and not messing up this iconic look.
They’re perfect football uniforms. The word “iconic” gets thrown around way too much these days, and it’s on the precipice of being completely meaningless now, but these are close.
GTGFTS: Here’s my guess (hard to tell since NFL database doesn’t record pre-season scores this old):
30 August 1969 (preseason week 3), LA Rams at San Diego Chargers, with the Chargers winning 35-13. Interestingly, this would be the last time the Rams wore their dark blue tops for the season, as they went “icy” white for the rest of the year, including the post-season.
This was also the first year the Chargers had to play with the infield dirt for part of the season (as seen by the right-center field distance marker behind the endzone), as the Padres were in the midst of their inaugural season.
GTGFTS – Saturday, August 24, 1968 Pre Season week 4 of 6 San Diego Chargers 34 Los Angeles Rams 13. The only time the Rams wore blue in both the Pre Season and the Regular Season that year (a shame IMO)
Allow me to preface this by saying I am generally anti-BFBS. I think it’s very silly that the Cardinals have a black uniform.
-HOWEVER-
Within the framework of their generally awful current set–especially the near-featureless home red with ARIZONA slapped across the chest like an afterthought–their all-black look isn’t actually terrible?
Yes, it’s bad from a uniform aficionado perspective, but the details therein are not. The stripes are pretty good (and the pants and sleeve stripes match!), the logo looks decent on the black helmet, and while it’s a touch plain, it’s certainly not the boring, create-a-team disaster their usual home look is, It’s a pretty cohesive set.
Would it be better if they had a good home set and no black alt? In my opinion, yes, but at least the all-black isn’t their worst uniform.
No, it is actually terrible. They look like Central Arizona State or something. Maybe even high school level bad.
Agreed, i despise blackout uniforms when they have no reason to exist normally, but of the 3 mono sets the cardinals have, the black is the best in my opinion, which is a testament to how bad the unis are overall
What is the issue with the Vikings current uniforms? They are simple yet classy. They are 100% percent better than the throwbacks. Sure, the throwbacks are nice but they should NOT be the primary. First, gray face masks? Yuck, no. Second, the matte finish on the regular helmet and the horns all look much bigger and more menacing than on the throwback. Third, the regular sleeve stripes are more unique. Fourth, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE NUMBER FONT. It is unique and it is cool. It gives the uniforms character. Remember, just because something is a throwback doesn’t mean it’s better. Another thought I had, why do you like the giants uniforms? They are some of the worst in the league, especially the home blues. Those are boring as hell. It doesn’t even look like they tried with those. Ultimate make-a-team uniforms.
“why do you like the giants uniforms?”
If you know me, you know I am definitely NOT a fan of the Giants road uniforms
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I do like their home uniforms. We can agree to disagree on this point.
And regarding the Vikings current uni set — I’ve said, many times, that I think it’s one of the better “modern” updates — but I absolutely detest their “sail” font, especially the forced “wind” effect (?) on the first digit of a two digit number.
link
On some numbers, where the sail synchs with the second digit, they look OK: link
Other times, it’s forced, and looks off: link
If they simply used the font they employ for the second digit (or the only digit on a number #1-9), I’d say the new Vikings unis are quite good. It’s one gimmick I cannot countenance.
Ravens ‘standard’ purple over purple when paired with BLACK socks > any iteration the Ravens could create with their Color Rush jerseys and pants. The gold numbers and pant stripes is just…weird for them.
Welcome back to Sock Watch!
Phil, I like your MMUW format showing a snapshot of each matchup. Nicely done!
Thanks, Mike!
It’s weird to me that so much uni-analysis focuses on the *color(s)* of the uniform. Much more important to me is a good, clean (but not minimalist) design.
To me:
Raiders are too plain, but not bad. Broncos still have too much weirdness, but better than the costumes they wore for 25 years. (My beloved) Patriots in the dynasty years had way too much going on. Colts and Packers are basically perfect.
I hate teal, but I think the Panthers have a pretty good design. Everybody crapped on the brown and yellow Broncos throwbacks years ago, but it was a great design, and certainly better than the silly frocks they regularly wore at that time.
I’m with Phil and many others that I prefer pants/socks contrast, but it’s very low on my list. A simple, clean design (that’s not to minimalist), one of a couple of standard old-school fonts, and hopefully a decent couple of colors. (I do think that three colors is hard to pull off, but possible. And four is ridiculous unless Elton John is your QB.) If you pull off those three things, I can forgive matching pants/socks.
(Also, I’m glad I wasn’t the only one bothered by the weird green mismatch with the Jets.)
I’d say the last 36 years regarding the Bears-Colts uni matchup, since 1982-87 was the Colts’ silver trim period (with silver pants paired with the blue jerseys for 82-86). And, of course, any Chicago-Baltimore matchup before 82 would’ve predated the GSH permamemorial on the Bears’ sleeve stripes for obvious reasons.
And yeah, Cards-Lions was brutal by uniform standards. Detroit should’ve gone with the silver pants, but even the blue pants would’ve been preferable to the white in this case.
I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE the Colts in white/blue/white/blue. I love when they wear the blue jerseys. The matchup with Chicago was beautiful. Simple. Clean. Classic. Good contrasting colors. Perfect.
I agree with you 100% about the socks thing. I hate when the pants and the socks all blend together, especially when a) there are no stripes on the pants and/or b) when the team is monochrome from head to toe. (Why yes, I am referring to the Lions and Cardinals).
I can understand the Ravens or the Panthers in all black – although I don’t know why they would want to go that route when they have good contrasting colors. But I don’t get it with the Cardinals. The damned birds are red. Cardinal red. It’s right there in the name. I hate the blood clot unis, but they make more sense than BFBS.
I’m a fan of the Chargers all white. I usually love teams with white helmets to go all white, except for the socks. I also love the Chargers yellow pants, but more so with their blue jerseys.
I wonder why the white socks have become a thing? Treads like this would be interesting to know the origin. Like the NBA when they started wearing long baggy shorts. We know that was a trend started by Jordan wanting to wear his NC shorts under his Bulls shorts. That not only influenced other basketball players, but also tennis and just regular shorts. But why the white socks? I don’t get it?
When the Bucs go white over white, they suffer the same fate as the Giants. The color of the helmet doesn’t show up anywhere on the jersey or pants. For some reason, it’s not as glaring on the Bucs. Lest we forget the Panthers.
Yeah, some teams it really bothers me and others not so much. I just assumed in that striping pattern the Bucs had that there had to be pewter in there, but you’re right there isn’t. It doesn’t bother me AS much with them, but it does a little. A team like SF it doesn’t at all (when they wear white pants)
Cards vs Lions: Spy vs Spy. That’s awesome, although I wonder if the younger folk who read this site will get that reference… too bad you didn’t have a chance to add in a reference to Fester Bestertester and Karbunkle!
Anyway, that game would have looked nice had the Lions had silver pants (they ALWAYS should, blue or white jerseys) and with the Cards’ combo, any other pant selection would have looked good, even, dare I say it, the red pants.
I actually like teams having all kinds of pants/ uniform options. Helmets, socks, etc. it just gets too monotonous for me with just one option. I do prefer teams in certain looks, Detroit for example, but I also really enjoy some changes and options.
Although I would consider myself pretty traditionalist, I agree some variety is nice. I just don’t like mono (non-white), the leotard look, and/or pants with no stripes in the NFL. For the Cardinals, I would be fine with the combos providing contrast, particular between the jerseys and pants.
For Detroit, and any other team with a gold, yellow, grey or silver helmet, I just think they look much better if the pants match the helmet. Any of those helmets with white pants look off to me. For helmets that are black, blue, red, green, etc. (“dark”?), white pants can look fine.
“But for now, what could be a modern classic”
Not with those absurd pant stripes. The shoulder stripes also annoy me, they just seem meh. Like make a statement if you’re going to make a statement. These just sit there, too small to really be about anything, too big to not notice how boring they are.
I thought the Falcons looked great in the Sunday nighter, minus the ATL abbreviation on the jersey.
I also like the winged A in the end zone.
Do the Chargers still display a 1963 World Championship banner?
Obviously AFL but do they acknowledge it?
So for teams with a second/ and or third helmet like The Bucs and Jets. Could they, say the Bucs for example use their white alternate and change or remove the striping and add a different decal to go with the current set?
I feel like I’ve seen it stated that’s an option. I don’t know if they’d have to let the league know before hand, but it could help the Bucs when they go with white pants and PLEASE help the Jets when they go with the green uniform. Btw I wish they used the lighter shade green instead of the moss one.
I want to say “no” that’s not an option, but since the NFL first permitted a second shell, a couple teams played fast and loose with the “alternate” rules, and it seems to have gotten looser the past season or so. (For example, the Bengals pairing their white tiger shell with their “regular” white road uni — in the first season with the white hat, they paired it with their “old” CR uniform, but last year, they were exempted; also the Panthers — their black jersey is supposed to be their “Primary” dark jersey, yet they paired that with their alternate black shell…just to name two examples).
So could the Bucs put new decals on their Bucco Bruce white shell to pair with their primary red or white jerseys? I’d still say the answer to that is no, but obviously the NFL has permitted other exceptions.
I feel like with the way teams mix and match their various uniform sets, the NFL should adopt soccer kit clash rules. Where every uni element has to be in contrast with your opponent.
I also don’t like the socks matching the pants. I don’t prefer the pants for both teams being the same color, either. It’s usually white, but could also be gray or yellow. Here are my suggestions for changes that should have been made in yesterday’s games:
Giants: gray pants
Saints: gold pants
Texans: white or red socks
Broncos: navy socks
Buccaneers: pewter pants
Titans: navy or columbia blue socks
Bears/Colts: perfect, no changes needed
Chargers: make everyone wear the blue socks
Seahawks: gray pants
Dolphins: white socks (or white pants)
Panthers: blue socks
Rams: yellow socks
Lions: silver pants
Ravens: white pants
Chiefs: red pants
I think you’re spot on with your suggestions. I would add yellow pants for the Chargers. White jerseys and white pants always look bad especially when you have colored pants in your wardrobe.
Jets’ color matching is ideal IMO. Wouldn’t call it a “problem”.
The Panthers had a fantastic uniform when the paired their blue socks with the black pants. It really popped.
What is up with the untucked t-shirts? that is a sloppy look.
Not sure if anyone has noticed yet, but Cardinals logo on the black helmet is different than the standard logo on the white helmet. There is separation between the “feathers” on the back on the bird.
The Broncos are getting what the deserve from their uniforms. The good looking uniforms—those with orange jerseys or pants—delivered a win yesterday. The crappy looking uniforms white jerseys/white pants and white/blue resulted in losses. I predict we’ll see white jerseys and orange pants against the Jets next Sunday.
We’ve talked ad nauseum about the Cowboys aqua-greenish pants. But watching yesterday, their pants appeared light blue/baby blue. Did anyone else notice this?
You mean H-Town Blue?
LOL!
Yes, I think they were that way last season too (at least). Sort of a steel blue vs aqua. Whatever it is, I despise the Cowboys’ redonk mismatched unis: silver helmet with navy star & stripes/white jersey (with royal numbers with black outline only on the sleeve stripes/light blue pants nonsense. One only needs to look at the combo when they wear the navy jersey to see how great matching components can look (silver lids, navy star, stripes all around, silver pants, etc.).
They’ve actually been this color blue since 2020. Prior to that they were almost a seafoam green.
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Did the Titans switch the primary home jerseys to light blue?
I don’t mind the chiefs wearing the white pants if they pair them with the red socks instead. Yes Titans are absolutely due for a redo.
Teams that wear socks the same color as their pants should be penalized 5 yards on every kickoff.
I actually LOLd at this. Ha!
GTGFTU – February 11, 2023. Canadiens 4, Islanders 3.
What’s the Spy vs Spy comment mean for the Lions and Cardinals? I don’t get it, lol.
The Spy vs Spy comic? Check it out lol. They were always in Mad Magazine.
Man those Lions uniforms are hideous. Literally looks like they forgot to design the pants and socks.
Plus the guys who wore different colored untucked shirts, like black of all colors, totally breaking up the uniform. Brutal.