Good Monday morning, Uni Watchers. I hope everyone had a pleasant weekend. ICYMI, my buddy, Jimmer Vilk, posted a very moving final article as Weekend Editor, as he’s retiring from the uni game after many years of devoted service to Uni Watch, the last seven-plus months in the WE position. If you didn’t get a chance, please give that a read-thru.
Thanks for all your devoted years of service, buddy. Enjoy your retirement!
Our own current Ticker Assistant, Anthony Emerson, will take over Jim’s gig starting next weekend.
One last bit of housekeeping: I’m almost back to 100% this morning, after suffering with the Norovirus since Wednesday afternoon. Thanks to all who sent or posted well wishes! The recovery period is (relatively) quick, thankfully, but I’ve literally never had any illness take so much out of me so quickly and so completely. Hopefully none of you will become infected, as this one is bad.
Also, also: Yes, I know it’s 2025, but the hed says “2024,” but that’s the protocol (2024 season) established by Paul, so I’m keeping it :).
Now then.
It seems like yesterday we were just starting the NFL season, but we’re already deep into Wild Card Weekend. Between Saturday and yesterday, five of the six WC games were played (there’s still one more tonight on MNF). The biggest surprise — at least to me — was the Broncos’ decision to not just wear orange pants but to pair them with orange socks. I talk more about that below, but that was the first time Denver has ever worn that combo.
Most of the games were good-looking, and almost all were quite colorful. In fact, including tonight’s game, four of the six games will have had at least one team in either gold or yellow pants (which is ALWAYS welcome), and one of the other two had a team in orange pants (albeit with orange socks). I’m pretty sure we’ve never had a playoff weekend where four games had at least one team wearing yellow pants. As for the other game? Well, if you like dark pants and socks at night, then that was for you.
Let’s run them down now…
Chargers vs. Texans
The first matchup of Wild Card Weekend was in many ways, a uni-microcosm of the season: a few teams in bright and vibrant colors or pastels against a team trying to look menacing in mono-dark. But as we all know, the battle for uni-supremacy is often an uphill fight, and the best-looking uniforms don’t always belong to the winning team. And maybe it’s just me, but have the Texans uniforms looked black since their redesign? White pants or red socks would have made such a difference.
Saturday’s nightcap shows you how just adding one light element to an otherwise dark uniform can totally transform a game’s appearance. Both the Steelers and Ravens have black helmets and socks, but this game was almost a color palette special. Simple things like different color jerseys and pants, especially striped pants with contrasting color socks, look especially good when matched with similarly styled opponents.
Broncos vs. Bills
The weekend’s most colorful game was so close to uni nirvana, at least for those of us who love a color palette special. And I never thought I’d be saying this, but Denver actually gave us orange overload, wearing both their orange pants (GLORIOUS!) and orange socks (TOO MUCH!). White or blue pants with orange socks is great. Orange pants with blue or white hose is incredible. But monorange below the waist was a bit too much. (Even when the Bengals went orange/orange/orange, they still had the good sense to wear contrasting socks.) I’m not complaining — I’ll still take what the Broncos wore over what more than half of the NFL wears — but this could have been one of the best-looking games of the season. Instead, it’s still a really good ol’ royal and orange rumble.
Also: did the Broncos get the inspiration for their collar design inspiration from the Bills? Do any other teams have similar collar styles?
Our late afternoon game was a mini color palette special too. On another note, some teams can get away with wearing white hose (when it’s not a prescribed team sock color), but when any Packers do it, it looks terrible. I mean, c’mon guys, save the white hose for Philly. Still a nice-looking game (as most Packers games are), but the Pack must wear green socks at all times. The Eagles have now worn green tops over white pants in nine games this season. For whatever reason, in all but one, they’ve stuck with white hosiery. This trend can’t end soon enough.
Our penultimate game of Wild Card Weekend was more of a bleak uni-affair. The lighting in Tampa Bay isn’t great, so when the Bucs wear red over pewter, their pants look more anthracite than pewter. Of course, that is still better than the Commanders, who seemed to vacillate between whether to go for a bike ride or a winter run. All kidding aside, if you’re going to wear stripeless pants, for the love of God, wear contrasting color hosiery. I don’t hate Washington’s uniforms as much as some of you, but this is my least favorite combo. Great win for the Commanders though, so I won’t be surprised if we see this again next weekend in Detroit. So yeah, we have that (Monolulu blue vs. burgundy yoga pants) to look forward to.
There won’t be a Five and One (for obvious reasons), but of the games played so far, I thought Buffalo/Denver had the best matchup (despite the heavy dose of orange below the waist), while Tampa Bay/Washington looked worst (and it wasn’t particularly close). Agree? Disagree? Tell me below.
1. You’re right about the Texans. They didn’t announce a color change to my knowledge, but the navy looks way darker for some reason. Strangely, it still matches the helmet. Optical illusion?
2. I keep thinking Denver’s uniforms will grow on me. Nope. They still look like they visited the Boise State lost and found. If they just went with more standard stripping on the pants and jersey it would make such a big difference. The zig zags and truncations make me sad.
If you go onto sportslogos.net and look at the Texans, it is a very noticeable difference in their shades, the navy is much darker, and the red much brighter. Chris is pretty good with color accuracy, so I am going to assume those are the official hues now. It is a very stark difference when looking at their logo rendered in old and new colors side by side.
I hadn’t realized just how big that change was. This registers as black to my eyes on my monitor.
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I don’t know if the Commanders are trying to NOT BE the Redskins, but their yellow/gold pants are so much better than the burgundy. Maybe they’ll wear them against the Lions. But I doubt it.
Sure, but the old Washington Football Teams ditched yellow pants on road unis for thirty years and only brought them back a few years before changing the team’s name to Commanders. If they’re going to wear the stripeless pants, they’d be just as well off continuing to wear the burgundy pants but with a contrasting sock color.
Good point. I suppose the total lack of yellow/white pants stripes is what made me not think about the Skins wearing burgundy pants. That makes a huge difference in the look.
Washington needs to lose the black elements on their unis. The single black sleeve stripe is out of place and the black number outline doesn’t fit either. Burgundy and gold is an awesome color combo; no need to shoehorn in black.
Totally agree. They also need to wear the gold pants much more often both at home and on the road.
For sure black needs to be kicked to the curb. I really miss the striping on their old uniforms. Is there anyway they could bring them back even if they might be identified with the terrible name of before?
I could see from a PR perspective I guess why it’s bad, but I can easily separate the two.
Agree wholeheartedly. I appreciate the fact that WASH wanted to rebrand to break away from the dreadful Daniel Snyder regime; but they should go back to the classic uniforms using the new helmet logo.
The rebrand was actually Snyder’s parting gift to the team. I’m pretty sure the name and the uni design were his way of saying “You want a rebrand? Here’s your f*cking rebrand.”
Old uni design with (perhaps) some slightly modernized numbers (see also: Steelers) and current helmet logo (but add a stripe) and this team would be set.
I kind of feel like they’ll go back to the classic unis at some point just without the old logo and name, sort of like what the Wizards did when they brought back the Bullets’ old colors and design elements.
Easy solution: go back to the 1970-1971 unis. Change the R on the helmet to a C or a W and remove the feathers. Otherwise, the rest of the uni is perfect.
I never really liked that Packers knock-off helmet, but it’s certainly no worse than the stencil W they have now.
Absolutely agree. The burgundy/gold is a unique color combo in the NFL. No need to muck it up with BFBS.
thank you!
I couldn’t agree more about the Texans. It looks especially black when they go mono-midnight. I actually have to take a double look anytime I see them to see if it’s them or Atlanta, which is not something for them to be proud of.
I’m actually really liking Denver’s unis more and more. I think that some of the things that may have looked stupid when it was first introduced are starting to become their signature look. I remember when Seattle introduced their current set they really, really bothered me. I thought those collarbone stripes were the worst look ever. But fast forward to today and I think they have one of the best signature looks in the league. I think in a few years it’ll be the same for Denver.
“I actually have to take a double look anytime I see them to see if it’s them or Atlanta, which is not something for them to be proud of.”
This. Completely.
The texans dark unis not only look black but they also just look like the Falcons to me. Especially on wide shots.
I thought the same thing. Both teams have terrible unis that look too much alike.
Maybe it was my TV but did anyone else think the GB helmets looked more tangerine if not orange than usual, esp compared to the pants which looked like the usual?
Same! It was tripping me out. Like is how they always are and I’m just noticing it now?
GTGFTU: September 12, 1964
Shea Stadium, Flushing, NY
Jets 30, Broncos 6
First Jets game at Shea Stadium.
Just beat me at the wire…..
Sorry, that’s GTGFTS. The photo show only the auxiliary scoreboard, not the main, and the guess was based on the uniforms.
Yeah, not much info on that scoreboard to draw from, so it’s more of a GTGFTU. The Broncos have the white horse and the three thin stripes on their sleeves, pinning them as pre-1965, and the Jets’ helmet appears to have the white football logo which was specific to 1964, as they would’ve had the short-lived jet logo in their 1963 matchup at the Polo Grounds.
I really like Denver’s uniforms and their hosiery catalog. Like many have said I would just make that white stripe on the pants go all the way down.
Also, here’s a crazy idea. What if Houston made their primary color a light blue that’s not the Oiler blue or whatever with red as their secondary and a royal blue as a third color? I think royal and light blue can actually look good together if done right and it’d be a unique color scheme.
GTGFTS: Sep 12, 1964, Shea Stadium NYC. Jets 30, Broncos 6. Jets first game at Shea Stadium after playing previous seasons at the Polo Grounds.
GTGFTU is France-Hungary at the 1978 men’s World Cup. It’s a fairly well-known story among soccer uniform people because both teams brought white shirts so France had to go borrow the green and white striped ones.
Also, I mentioned in the other post. How about the Broncos reverse the socks and have white at the top with low orange socks at the bottom.
I whole heartedly agree it is the 2024 playoffs as they are going by the results of the 2024 season.
GTGFTS: Broncos at N.Y. Jets 9/12/64, first Jets game at Shea Stadium ended with a 30-6 N.Y. victory. Looks like one season logo on Jets helmet for Sat. evening game. Mets season went to 9/27/64, with left field foul pole visible in photo behind movable seating.
I may be coming around to liking the Broncos in orange pants (not as much the Bengals new knickers) … but yesterday’s leg covers have got to go.
Sad to see SD…, err LAC exit the playoff stage – but maybe now the Texans can drop the obsession with the Oilers branding and re-establish some much needed self esteem.
Texans should try navy/navy/red as a combo. Would break up the mono dark and be a unique look in the NFL. Personally I’d rather them go navy/red/white as the full time uni, but if they are going to stick with navy as the primary, could try to put a little red in there.
Whenever I look at the Broncos now I just think about how many unnecessary flourishes their new uniforms have. They add nothing to the design, and the uniform would look better with normal stripes throughout.
Ravens standard black/purple/white look is sort of a modern classic, but I’ve always liked when they go full dark, black/purple/black, only problem being their black pants need some stripes.
The Broncos definitely need to wear contrasting socks, but I really like the orange pants. There were a few times when seeing the Bills blue jersey up against the Broncos orange pants ALMOST made it seem like the Broncos were wearing their throwbacks. The orange socks kept that matchup from being the best of the weekend.
Reluctantly, I’ve give the top spot to Ravens/Steelers. I’m not a fan of either team, but both were looking their best on Saturday.
The worst matchup was the early Saturday game. With due respect to the Chargers, the Texans wearing mono blue/black drags that game to the bottom of the heap.
Thanks for the feedback, Judy! I agree that individually, the worst uniform was the Texans mono-blackish uniforms. But the Chargers still looked phenomenal. Whereas the Commanders/Bucs tilt had one terrible uniform (Washington) and one that’s good but very dark…so when paired with the burgundy on three elements (including the yoga pants look), I felt it was the overall worst looking game, but yeah, both weren’t great.
Totally valid. I really want to like the Bucs uni but it tends to be too dark. Washington would look infinitely better if they would either add stripes to their pants or wear contrasting socks – or, ideally, do both. But they’re my team, so I’m inclined to give them more rope than I would for Houston, who I don’t care for.
Never thought too much about socks until this year, but Broncos showed how important they are to the look.
Switched on and was great to see the orange pants, but the orange socks was just too much and made them loom clownish. Such a shame.
Agree with other comments on Texans, but have to say goes the same for Denver. All that orange – plus those ’91 flashbacks) show how dark their lids are. They looked nearly black in some shots as well. Really think they should go a couple of shades lighter and it would only improve the overall aesthetic.
It’s fairly interesting how much the “same” maroon/white/maroon look from Washington looks so much worse on the rebrand than it did with the classic uniforms. Lack of yellow/gold and unnecessary details mucks up the entire look.
The better dressed team did NOT lose in Houston on Saturday. The best part is knowing i won’t have to look at those ugly Chargers unis again for the next 8+ months. Not saying the Texans look is great, but at least it’s not powder blue with banana…
How about a throwback for Denver.
Vertically striped blue and orange sox? :-D
To find a silver lining to the Broncos, all-orange below the waist was the best of the 3 options. Obviously contrasting socks would’ve been far superior, but navy or white below the waist wouldn’t have been a good look, especially against Buffalo.
Agreed, and that’s why I said it was this close to uni nirvana. Orange pants are always the best option for the Broncos on the road. Just pairing them with same color socks was the mistake. Imagine that game with the Broncos in white or blue socks and orange pants!
Either white or blue pants would have also worked (depending on what hose they were paired with), but orange is clearly superior to either.
When the rest of your team wears green socks and only two or three of you wear all-white, it looks infinitely worse than everyone wearing the same color (especially if that color is white with the Packers).
I know guys like to stand out and I’m screaming into the void here, but sock color should be treated like helmet/jersey/pants color and be UNIFORM for everyone on the team. It really shouldn’t be that hard to enforce (you don’t get to play if you don’t wear the uniform). Plenty of teams do it. I don’t know why it can’t be league-wide.
Agreed, and we’ve discussed the hosiery free-for-all somewhat at length on here for years.
The problem is fines levied don’t mean jack to the players. Compared to their salaries, the monetary penalty, if there even is one, is negligible.
There are two solutions, both of which are easy to implement: 1) simply make sure the team’s “Uniform Compliance Officer” (or some other title many of us would take for free) doesn’t let any renegade looks onto the field. It’s probably easier said than done, but that’s the *easiest* solution.
2) Make a real penalty for non-complaince. Either a 15-yard penalty at the beginning of each half for each offending player OR the player is not permitted to take the field until his uniform (hosiery color) is in compliance.
If deterrents (like fines) don’t ensure compliance, hurting the team with either penalties or loss of playing privileges is the only deterrent that will.
As you put, the fines don’t really seem to be a deterrent. I think you’re right: you need to have some sort of penalty that affects the team.
If you approach socks as being as much a part of the uniform as jersey, pants, or helmet, players simply shouldn’t be allowed to step on the field if they’re not wearing the uniform.
If the Packers are wearing green jerseys, they wouldn’t let a player go out there in a white jersey. The same approach should apply to socks.
I know it’s probably never going to happen, but it’s still worth our ongoing discussion, in my opinion.
Maybe I missed it…no mention of the Ravens going with captain’s patches for the first time ever…at least in the Harbaugh era. Something very different that was done in the playoffs vice regular season.
I was going to mention it, but I submitted it to Jamie for the Ticker (so it’s in the Ticker).
The Commanders’ uniforms are a disaster.
Apologies if this sounds obtuse, but you use “color palette special” often, in contexts as if the reader should know exactly what this means. Is there a specific definition? I don’t see it on the glossary.
I feel like I know what it means, but don’t KNOW what it means, you know? :D
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The Denver uniforms would look better if the stripes went all the was down the pants not just half way. The overall set would look decent with a few tweaks like getting rid of some of the gimmickry. Also the matt helmets don’t look as good as the gloss ones. That trend needs to go away. I’ve never liked the Philly uniforms. I think the 1980’s -1990’s ones looked way better. Washington needs an overhaul with the more classic look in the same colors but ditch the all black.
Denver’s new uni has not grown on me one bit. Aside from all the annoying little storytelling elements, the big mistake was sticking with that dark navy, which looks especially dreary on a matte helmet. This redesign was the perfect opportunity to veer back into the lane they own – royal and orange. They blew it. Even if it’s not using the throwback as the full time uni (which most of us agree is what they should actually do), this mediocre current design would look miles better in royal and orange.
I swear I have to do a double take any time I turn on a Texans game to make sure it’s actually them and not the Falcons.
Navy is the new black.
I was looking forward to the Bills and Broncos but like you thought the orange socks ruined the look.
I thought Packers/Eagles and Steelers Ravens were both better than Bills and Broncos.
I am to the point that I had rather see no socks like NCAA rather than the mono pants socks look!