
Last week, we took a look back at the 20 NFL teams that wore throwbacks during the 2024 season, which is the most seen in an NFL season since the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Season of 1994. But that still left 12 teams who did not wear throwbacks. Let’s remedy that.
Below I’m proposing a throwback uniform for each of the remaining NFL teams. In some cases, this will be to a uniform a team has previously worn as a throwback, while others have never been. In a couple instances it’s a bit tricky: as you’ll see, a couple teams have never worn throwbacks, while others have uniforms that have changed so little over the decades that a throwback would essentially be a team’s current uniform, with maybe one or two slight changes from the original. Some of these may surprise you, while others are so glaringly obvious it’s surprising they haven’t been worn as throwbacks before. And yeah, there are a couple that might not fly for different reasons.
So here are my 12 choices for throwbacks for those who didn’t wear throwbacks in 2024. Feel free to disagree (and I’d love to have your alternate suggestions!) down in the comments below!
Arizona Cardinals

For the Cardinals, I chose their first season in Arizona, when they became known as the Phoenix Cardinals. I’d actually prefer the white jersey throwback, but with today’s modern jerseys, the cardinal jerseys will work better. There’s barely room on a sleeve cap for a TV number, let alone a full Northwestern-style stripe. There’s not much need to look back further — the Cardinals, more or less, looked the same for their entire time in St. Louis, and even the Chicago Cardinals don’t offer up much in the way of a good retro.
Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are one of those tough cases because I don’t know if they’d be allowed to wear the inaugural season (1996) uniforms. The whole legal battle over whether the Ravens poached Frank Bouchat’s “Flying B” logo seems far from being totally settled. But for our purposes, the Ravens don’t really have anything else to throwback to (besides the 1996-98 uniforms with the Flying B), since their uniforms pretty much became what they are now when they added the Raven head logo to the helmets. 1999 was the one season where the Ravens wore the flying Raven logo on their sleeves AND had the bird head logo. After 2000, their uniforms have remained essentially unchanged.
Buffalo Bills

Yes, the Buffalo Bills technically still have a throwback uniform, but they haven’t worn it since 2021. And c’mon, this one is a no-brainer! For years I’ve been calling for the Bills to (re)introduce a red helmet — I even wrote a column about it last year, pleading for both a red helmet and throwback. I’m sure there are still some in Buffalo for whom this brings up four straight Super Bowl losses and others who consider them jinxed. Let’s dispel once and for all with this fiction the uniforms are cursed. They’re not cursed. They’re also great looking uniforms that deserve to see the gridiron once again.
Carolina Panthers

It’s hard to believe that since the Panthers entered the league in 1995, their uniforms have undergone no major changes, unless you include tweaking their helmet logo in 2012. The tailoring and cuts of the uniforms are different, but there have been almost no noticeable changes in 30 seasons (actually a pretty impressive fact). So without really anything to throwback to, I propose they go with their original design (the blue jersey featured silver numbers double outlined in black and while, with black tv numbers with white outlines) and black pants which appear to have a different striping pattern — silver with blue outline — vs. the current blue with silver outline. So this would be a fun look at a throwback that never was.
Cincinnati Bengals

It may not seem like in now, but when these uniforms debuted in 1981, they were considered revolutionary. Tiger stripes on the helmet! Tiger stripes on the shoulder loops and down the pants stripes! Nothing even approaching this had ever been done on a pro football uniform before. Rarely does such a groundbreaking design not just look good during its introduction, but simultaneously stands the test of time. Almost overnight, the Bengals went from being a Browns clone to having their signature look. It’s a uniform they should still be wearing! I know there are a few readers who’d love to see the old arched “B E N G A L S” look from their founding, but no. This is the look they must wear. Interestingly enough, I don’t think anyone but a select few realized that when Paul Brown founded the Bengals, he actually considered a Tiger striped helmet, but settled on the bland wordmark lid instead. His vision would finally be realized almost two decades leter.
Detroit Lions

Until the Lions officially retire this as a throwback, I still enjoy seeing it once a year — preferrably on Thanksgiving — but the team is apparently superstitious even about wearing their throwback. Honestly, I don’t think the 1957 is a particularly good looking uniform (and it looks worse under the Ford Field lights), and I’d prefer pretty much any uniform worn during Barry Sanders’ tenure with the team.
Houston Texans

Until the Houston Texans redesigned for this past year, they were similar to the Panthers, in that their uniforms hadn’t greatly changed since their first game in 2002. I had thought perhaps the Texans could go the Panthers route by wearing the white helmet the team showed off when it was officially introduced as a member of the NFL in 2000. But I thought I’d go a different route and pick for a throwback a uniform combination worn only once, on December 18, 2016. I always thought the blue/red/blue/red was a great look (one I wish we’d seen more than once), so why not bring that look back?
Indianapolis Colts

Another club whose uniform history is pretty compact, the Colts uniforms have barely changed since 1957. They have actually worn a couple throwbacks over the years, including to their 1955 and 1956 seasons, but those helmets featured two small horseshoes at the rear of the helmet and sleeve stripes. Since 1957 they’ve worn their classic loops. But there was a period in the 1980s, encompassing their move from Baltimore to Indianapolis, when the team added some gray elements to their palette. It began in ’82, when they ditched their usual white pants and switched to silver-gray knickers with horseshoe-framed uni numbers on the hips. And on the road, they added gray to their shoulder stripes, pants stripes and number outlining. Aside from dabbling in some silver gray, there was a momentary lapse of reason in 1995, during the first three weeks of the season, when the Colts wore blue pants with their white jerseys. But let’s see some throwbacks to their gray period, shall we?
Kansas City Chiefs

The KC Chiefs uniforms have changed so little over the years, we need to go back to their original home to find a uniform suitable for throwback use. And yes, they did wear those Texans kits during the AFL’s 2009 60th season specials. Seriously, about the only changes to the uniforms when Dallas moved to KC was to change the helmet logo. Oh, and they’d add sleeve stripes and red pants in 1968, but that’s about it over their history. When the NFL did its 1994 throwbacks, the Chiefs threwback … by simply removing their sleeve stripes. Other than using the anachronistic white cage, that’s essentially their uniform from 1963-1967. So if they must throwback, then to their Texans roots it shall be.
Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers have worn several throwbacks throughout their history, but they’re almost always to pre-1974 uniforms, which had a white helmet with TV numbers. Interestingly, the team has never paired a royal jersey/gold pants with white helmets, though they’ve come close (that 1967 jersey was closer to navy). While I love the royal over gold, I never liked that the helmet was always darker, more like navy. I’d love to see this look return as a throwback (though as a few have pointed out, that would look very similar to the team with whom they share their stadium). I’m pretty sure everyone will be ok with this
Los Angeles Rams

The Rams wore this as a throwback during the 1994 season, and ever since then, I’ve been hoping they’d break out a gold (yellow) jersey/white pants combo. I even expected a modern take on this from the Rams as an alternate in the current uniform set (especially since they teased a new combo for 2021 and 2022. We got a new white jersey and yellow pants in 2021, but nothing since. I was expecting a gold (yellow) top and white pants since then,) Anyway, if the team won’t introduce yellow over white for their current set, then the least they can do is this throwback.
Washington Commanders

This team, with its name and logo history, is obviously troubling when it comes to throwbacks. When the team finally ditched the “Redskins” monicker and rebranded as the Washington Football Team, did wear logoless throwbacks, so while the team celebrated the uniforms of a bygone era, they did so after jettisoning their original name. The 1970-71 uniforms, designed by Vince Lombardi and made to look as close to the Packers — his former team — were outstanding in their design. The helmet’s logo, an R with two feathers, may need to be slightly tweaked, but otherwise, this would be a fantastic throwback for Washington. But other than the relatively generic throwbacks worn by the WFT, I’m not really sure there’s any previous iteration of uniform that would be appropriate.
And there you have it. My 12 suggestions for throwbacks for those teams who didn’t have them in 2024. Agree? Disagree? Feel free to list your throwback proposals below!
Always loved that Redskins throwback as a fan. What’s crazy to me is they only wore it for a single game in 2007 honoring their 75th anniversary season. Shocked it never popped up again, such a clean and classic look.
The 2012 harken-back (complete with faux-leather head) was terrific…very disappointed that was also a 1 & Done.
That would be something the Commies ought to consider, dans the sleeve patches.
dans the sleeve patches?
Oof
maybe “sans”?
@daegan kilgore: I am sure Phil meant “sans” but wanted to get a dig in at Dan S[snyder], hence his intentional “dans,” in italics, no less, to drive home his point
If you follow the thread, CheisH is the one who originally said “dans” (and I believe it was he who meant sans).
Chris has made some epic typos on here and we love him for it. Including once spelling ChrisH as “CheisH” so you’ll see him use his real name and nom de plume sometimes.
If you ever see any of us write “YVVM” it’s another Chris-ism. All in good fun!
Those 1970-71 Washington uniforms are outstanding, would love to see them come back. You picked some good ones Phil!
How beautiful would it be to see the Rams Vs Seahawks, both in throwbacks! Put that on a Thursday night for sure.
If the Rams were to have my proposed uniform as a throwback, EVERY game would look beautiful (they’d all be color vs. color — at least in theory — with the Rams in gold and opponents in their dark colored top). Their two 1994 throwback games were both color vs. color (49ers and Chiefs), but I’d love to see those golds against some blue, green or orange tops!
Rather see a riff on the rear feather stripe Redskins chassis than the yellow-heavy/Packer-esque suggestion.
No to the Silver-Pants Colts (but go back to the white masks and hip horseshoes! ) and the Ravens (have the guts to use the Browns Alpha style and adjust to the current colors)…yes to the Dallas Texans homage and Kelly era Bills(though the blue masks were superior).
A full time return to the Bengals throwback and the Cards would be just great (though I’d miss the latter’s current away set rather a lot). YVVM
As a Texans fan, I loved the blue/red/blue look and was really disappointed that they never went back to it.
It would be cool if they replicated that with their current set, but I’d be shocked to see that happen.
The Bills should definitely use those throwbacks. Their current set is top-tier, but these look great too and were from a great period of their history. And I’m not even a fan!
I don’t like those Rams throwbacks as much as I loved the Greatest Show on Turf unis, with the darker blue and the deeper gold. I would love to see those again. And I like the Dickerson era look as well.
Totally agree on Chargers and Bengals. I like that Chargers look better than today’s (I guess it’s how I was introduced to them as a kid) and while I really don’t like orange and black, I think that Bengals look is about as good as it can look.
Just an observation: at a very quick glance, I thought those Texans unis were Buccaneer unis. Generally I like the darker color on top.
I second the Rams throwing back to “the Dickerson era look” as well, as that really should be their primary uni. I always particularly liked the away set. The yellow jersey version, no thanks.
I may be in the minority, but I HATE the red helmet Bills combo. Always have. Reminds me of bloodshot eyes. Just use the white helmet with the standing buffalo, thank you.
For Washington, I would love to see a fauxback with the Lombardi uniforms. For the lids, just use a circle like the old ones with a W in it, and no feathers. Would be just fine.
I would not be upset to see any of these make an appearance as throwbacks. In the case of the Cardinals, I would love for them to just go back to this look full time (almost certainly won’t happen). They are one of several teams that have changed their uniforms in the past 10 years or so, and would have been better served by simply going back to something they wore in the past (the Falcons, Dolphins, Patriots, and Rams are all in this category). The Bengals don’t look terrible in their current uniforms, but their 1981 look is their best, hands-down. The Bucs are a team I’m on the fence about. I know there is a lot of love for the Creamsicles, and they have grown on me over the years (I didn’t really care for them when they were the regular uniform), but I also really like the uniforms they wear now. The only thing that would make them better is if Nike could get the pewter pants fabric color correct.
Agree on Bengals and Chargers those were the best for both teams. I love the Washington uniforms from 1971. I believe those were worn as a throwback in 2004-2005. Very similar look to Packers. I would also like to see the 1993-1995 Patriots from the Bill Parcells era it also had a royal blue.
Those were worn in 2007, against the Giants. Only time they were worn as throwbacks (that’s where the photos come from).
Always loved the AZ flag unis of the Cards, and the Bills 90’s era would be great to see again. Wash really needs to reincorporate the helmet stripe and facemask from the old unis in some way, albeit throwback or onto the current unis. Those I felt were just unique to the ‘Skins brand more than the logo. And I’ve always wanted to see the Rams’ blue and white throwback more than the blue/yellow. The blue and white horns look on the helmet is a great look, and one we haven’t seen in a long time
I expect the next uniforms to harken back to the “traditional” Washington uniforms, but keeping the origami W helmet. I hope so at least.
The feeling around Buffalo is the Bills will almost certainly wear the red helmet throwbacks next year for the last year of their longtime stadium. I hope it’s right.
The yellow/gold jerseys the Rams wore before the rebrand would be great with white pants. They should go back to the “Youngbloods” and add that combo instead of their current set.
Didn’t Lombardy, when he took over the Packers, in order to change the culture of the team, we’re going to dress like champions, and the new Packer uni’s in 59 favored the Browns in sleeve/stocking stripes w/green, yellow instead of brown, orange. Particularly the 59 roadies w/white socks.
Lombardi did the same thing in 69 with the Redskins.
Personally I would love to see the pre-rebrand uniforms (2016-ish) pop up as an alternate, maybe with just a circle around the current logo to keep it appropriate while bringing back that nostalgia.
If the Cards went with a throwback, it would surely be the Pat Tillman jersey and would be worn in November for the “Salute to Service” month. The design is more Sooners than the original looking like Ohio State.
I would like to see the Rams throw back to the blue and white Fearsome Foursome unis.
This! ^
Seeing those pics of old/throwback uniforms, even the modern ones, reminds me of how the Nike uniforms are ridiculously skin-tight and how tiny and almost non-existent football pads are today.
Would look good
Texans
Bills
Cardinals
Chargers
Bengals (road is better than current)
Redskins/Commandeers (anything better than current set)
No
Colts
Chiefs
Ravens
Never
Rams
Lions
Panthers (why throwback to something that was never worn?)
Re: your statement about the Panthers…
While their original concept is something I’d rather not see (feel the same about their expansion sibling, the Jaguars) Matt Stevens’ ‘what if they were founded in 1955’ idea would be a sight to behold IRL:
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I think his ideas for other teams was featured here before.
The Panthers fauxbacks are outstanding. Make this be a thing!
Bills are a red helmet team and I don’t think anything will ever change my mind on that. I guess part is growing up in the 80s and 90s, but also when I see white/blue/white I see the Colts. So even though the Bills do look good in the white helmet, I just don’t see it as the Bills look. Especially when you only have 32 teams, it is a crazy multiple teams would have the same helmet/jersey/pants color combo.
Bills in red lids is bad juju folks. Too much disappointment.
Need those AZ state flags back on the cards Uni’s would love a 90s throwback with the cardinal on the sleeves
Yep. THe state flag sleeves are awesome
It’s funny to think of the Texans being an old enough franchise to have “throwbacks”. They’re barely even old enough to drink.
Yes to all these… and once all teams have throwbacks, we can make the NFL do “Throwback Thursdays”. Keep their proper looks for Sunday best, but have both teams breaking out throwbacks against each other.
Those Washington throwbacks are absolutely gorgeous!! I’d love a maroon top with the rest as well. Have that as a throwback set and then change the primaries to the “redskins” uniforms with a rebranded logo etc obviously. I loved the striping on that set.
When you mentioned the panthers “throwback that never was” it immediately brought back to mind something I’d love to see the packers do. The pack were set to change their classic green and gold unis to a new look in the early 90’s, but scrapped the plan after seeing how terrible they looked when worn in person by Ted Thompson. A more metallic gold look helmet, a darker forest green jersey and more metallic gold look pants. And for those who would scoff at that idea… the nfl is a money making business first.. and new jerseys and other merchandise to sell sounds like a great idea.
That’s essentially what the Rams did, went from royal and yellow to navy and gold.
Those Rams unis look so good in the old films of the Elroy Hirsh, Norm van Brocklin era, under the Coliseum lights. Don’t know if they’d translate to modern-fit unis, but it’s worth a try. Big thumbs up, too, to your Cardinals choice.
Hear, hear!
I don’t get the hate for something that is right up Uni Watch’s alley: blue pants which are basically the inverse of the white pants, and striped socks that avoid the leotard look? I think it looks great!
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Oooops, meant to respond to the guy below, talking about the Colts!
I don’t get the vitriol surrounding the Colts blue pants. I liked them. They got bashed at the time, and now they are leagues better than what most teams are wearing. As long as they weren’t abused as a monoform, they should still exist.
Hear, hear!
I don’t get the hate for something that is right up Uni Watch’s alley: blue pants which are basically the inverse of the white pants, and striped socks that avoid the leotard look? I think it looks great!
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It’s not terrible, and it is exponentially better with striped white socks. But it looks too unbalanced to my eye. The Colts should only wear white pants (I honestly don’t like the gray pants I proposed, but it’s not like there are a ton of looks the Colts can throwback to so…). In almost every instance, a white helmeted team should always wear white pants (exceptions being for light/pastels, like the Chargers with gold pants). You want the Colts in blue pants? Give them a blue helmet and I’m 100% in agreement. But white/white/dark/white (no matter what team) doesn’t look good IMO.
I’d go a different direction for a couple:
Rams – 2000, blue version. Greatest Show on Turf, after they switched the bright yellow to gold. I thought those were a great, classic look. link
Commanders – 1982, white version. Gibbs, Riggins, Theisman era. That’s the look most people would associate with the Redskins greatest successes and are still as common in the stands as the new look. And to deal with the problematic logo, just use the current W logo but with the old helmet striping. link
Not clear with your description of the Cardinals? Are you suggesting no sleeve numbers? I’d like the cardinal red jersey to be a faux back, with it being like the white throwback you have a link to.
I’m not suggesting no sleeve numbers. I’m saying the red jersey doesn’t face the same clutter issue (full size/width Northwestern-style stripe AND TV numbers). Trying to fit either one, let alone both, on the current NFL jersey cut/template would be impossible and would look like crap. So, the red jersey is my pick because it could much more easily could be made into a throwback.
That’s 100% the best Bengals uniform. They never should’ve changed it.
And thanks for giving Carolina some credit. Regardless of how one feels about their Uni, staying with it is almost unheard of for a team born in the 90s or later.
Hey, they are all wearing kneepads that actually protect their knees :)
The Bills absolutely need this to be their permanent look. Sorry, but what they wear now is boring by comparison. As for the Chargers, it’s not as good as the Junior Seau-era unis, but if they made this their permanent look it would be WAY better than what they wear now (sorry/not sorry to hurt all your feelings; I know you all think powder blue with yellow and white is great).
Agreed. I think the Ravens could pull off that look with the current helmet. That 1996-only jersey number font and the black pants with a single wide white stripe would be a welcome throwback. Much better than the all-black workout pants they seem to favor lately.
As a St. Louisan, I recall fondly the many years watching the “Grid Birds” as a season ticket holder. There was nothing better than when the Big Red would wear their white uniforms with that PERFECT red and black trim when they hosted the Cowboys, forcing Dallas to wear the blue uniforms they preferred not to wear. I guess it was natural for the team to change its uniform scheme when they left for the desert, but every update they’ve had since pales in comparison. Am I biased? Sure (and still bitter that they left), but I’ve still never seen a better uniform than those worn by the St. Louis Cardinals. And man, the Cardinal helmet emblem should NEVER have been changed. Thank goodness there are still NFL Films videos I can watch from time to time. Hart, Metcalf, Mel Gray, Dierdorf, Wehrli…I remember them all.
Hard no on the red helmets for the Bills.
I’m with Drew. I always felt during the Kelly/Thomas/Reed years that those red helmets of the Bills did nothing but drown out the blue and white. It was just red overload. The white helmets they now wear actually accentuate the red and blue, providing a classic, clean look. I mean, if it was good enough for Joe Ferguson, it’s good enough for me.
Here’s a “throwback” idea for the Colts…get rid of the double comma or parenthesis look of the white stripes on the shoulders. Remember when the white stripes went all the way around the shoulders and arm pits of the jerseys when Johnny U and Bert Jones were calling the signals? Even during the first years of Manning’s career, they still had the stripes going all the way around. The double comma look makes it look like they ran out of white material and just gave up. C’mon, Colts, get it together!
Truncated shoulder loops absolutely RUIN many of these beautiful and classic designs…
As far as the ravens, I always saw their purple jersey black pants look as essentially their throwback or a nod to that uniform. I dont think they’ll ever use or go back to the original helmet design. Using that design with the current logo wouldnt look right i dont think but a faux back with the purple helmet bird head alternate logo might work with that older uniform design cause that logo is from that era anyway. Be great to see next season if they win the bowl this year