Readers of Monday Morning Uni Watch know that every week during the regular season, I select the Top Five best looking games, and also the worst pairing. Now that the season has ended, I’m going to pick the ten best and two worst looking games from the 2024 season.
I reviewed all the games played, and have my choices — with one caveat. Since there are some teams who will appear in the weekly #1 spot often, due to the greatness of their uniforms, a team can only appear ONCE in the Top 10, so 20 teams are represented. For example, the Chargers and Chiefs both appeared in the #1 slot five times each during the regular season, but for this UniWrap, each club will only appear once. On the bad side, there are no repeats either, although teams that appeared on the “best” list may also be included in the “worst” list.
Let me know what you think of the rankings in the comments below.
And away we go…
#10
The only time the Saints wore non-throwback gold pants this past season, with Carolina in their “original” home uniforms. The Saints can look good if they so choose.
#9
The only time the Lions wore their silver pants the entire season! This uniform combo is what they should wear at home every week!
#8
The Jaguars brought their “Prowler” uniforms as throwbacks this year. And they were spectacular!
#7
Say it with me: “The Falcons need to make this their permanent home uniform!”
#6
Two classic unis that haven’t changed much in more than a half-century.
#5
I’d love to see the Orange Crush throwbacks eight or nine times a year, instead of just twice. Another team who need to make their throwbacks permanent.
#4
Why did the Eagles ditch the kelly green again?
#3
Snow games almost always look great, and these two glorious uniforms just added to the wow factor.
#2
It doesn’t get much better than this.
#1
A snow game and a color palette special? Simply. The. Best.
And the two Worst Looking games of the 2024 season…
And Two
Where do we start? How about here.
And One
Literally almost unwatchable.
And there you have it. What do you think of my choices? How would you rank the Top 10 or bottom 2 if you disagree? Are there any games you think were deserving of being on this list?
Feel free to provide your own rankings!
The Texans need to make some sizing and kerning changes to their font. Adding white to the inside of the horn would help too. I personally like Seattle in N/G/N/G. The bottom emerald green can be too much. The falcons current set needs a better number font and it could be ok. It is still too minimalistic.
While it’s nice that the Lions wore their silver/blue/silver combo at least once, I still don’t think they’re a strong enough uniform design to feature in a season top 10, especially paired with the Bucs. The blue still feels wrong to me, the helmet shades don’t match the jerseys or panty stripes, lots of little things keeping me from taking any current Lions combo too seriously.
Patriots vs. Colts on 12/1 looked spectacular this year, too. The Colts wore their whites against Pat Patriot red throwbacks, I am surprised it didn’t crack the top 10!
I considered it, but it was a bright and sunny day and just too much white. (link)
Had the Patriots worn solid red socks, or if the Colts had worn royal socks, this probably would have cracked the Top 10. It was in the running, but two teams with white helmets, pants and socks was just too much to crack it, even if individually both uniforms are great. They just don’t matchup as well.
Agree, if the teams went with colored hose v plain white it would have to be top 3
“pant” stripes obviously.
Aw, I thought you were using it as a facetious term for the ever shrinking pants lengths.
Like Phil, the striping pattern on the Packers’ white helmet drives me nuts, also. (and the cowboys’)
Imagine if the Bucs wore red socks!
Top pick is a great winner, as a Broncos fan, i dont want “those” permanent, but like the color rush with the current colors but with the current number font
Only the modern NFL could create a season where the Packers only make the worst list, but I think you’re on point. I looked at the Packer schedule and there were a few that might have contended, but several where the opponent made it impossible.
Seahawks fan and tend to agree. Loved the neon when colour rush was a thing but it’s had its time now. Disappointed the throwbacks didn’t crack top 10. They’re incredible.
“Disappointed the throwbacks didn’t crack top 10.”
I don’t blame the ‘Hawks at all – I blame their opponents(DEN and SF) who both opted to go mostly ‘icy’ for those games.
Now, if the Cards had traveled to Seattle and the Seahawks broke out the throwbacks … that’s a top-tier contest!
Also a Hawks fan & Seattle resident… I also once thought those neon green duds were SWEET, but not so much anymore. Definitely a worthy “and 2” pick, unfortunately.
That headline photo is a work of art. I’m not a fan of either team but I could look at that all day.
Agreed, was going to post the same. Absolutely fantastic image.
The photo for #10 is slightly disorienting. I thought the Saints player had a blue stripe on his inner right thigh!
Flip flop #1 and #2. Chiefs/Chargers is the best looking matchup. As someone else commented: why can’t the Lions get the helmet blue to match the jersey/pant blue??? If they did so, the set with the silver/grey pants would be almost perfect.
Great article, Phil, thanks for putting this together.
We are in complete sync on the top 5, except I would have moved the Broncos-Raiders up one slot. Who would have guessed week 1 that the final top 10 would have no Packer games? The disgruntled Bears fan in me is almost pleased, though I would have put the week 11 Bears-Pack matchup in there over Bears-Colts.
My 2025 wish list would be Titans wearing Oilers throwbacks against the Steelers, Browns, Niners, Bears, or Pack. Would have to be a shoo-in for number 1.
1 game that didn’t get consideration (?) was the Week 15 matchup in which the Cardinals hit the road in their wonderful whites and took on the Foxboro Patriots, who looked splendid in S/B/‘S’:
link
YVVM
Looong time Falcons fan and yes, the Falcons need to make this their permanent home uniform!
The Steelers have always had an all time classic uniform. The only change I’d make is to go back to the Bradshaw/Harris/Swann number font permanently.
^^^ This!
Is it weird that I found the lack of yellow on the Packers’ white helmet to be the most offensive part of that game against Seattle?
Also surprised the Packers were not part of any of the top 10 games. I guess we can blame the Colts for not wearing their blue socks against the Packers thus year, that’s a near perfect match-up otherwise.
Sad that the Bengals’ orange/black/orange/black combo didn’t make it. Otherwise, a phenomenal list…
Yeah, I love that combo myself. But the 5 & 1 (or in this case 10 & 2) isn’t about one great uniform…it’s how both teams’ uniforms fit together, for an overall look.
And even two great uniforms individually may not look great together (Patriots throwbacks vs. Colts, for example — just too many white elements for both teams, but either uniform on its own is very very good.)
Bears/Colts…… So nice to see both teams wearing their appropriate uniforms. I’m talking to you Colts and wearing blue socks. :)
Seahawks need to do a replay of the Broncos 1962 Uniform Torching on those hideous neon green getups.
10 & 9 is why metallic helmets, gold and silver, look best when paired with matching pants. The Saints and Lions used to have two of the best uniforms. In fact the Saints were probably my favorite uniforms, along with another gold helmet/pants team, the 49ers.
My question isn’t why did the Eagles get away from kelly green (new owner, duh). The question is why haven’t they gone back full-time? I get it, winning a Super Bowl is a major win in midnight’s column but the owner’s ex-wife chose that color. If I am ever a billionaire NFL owner, and I let my then-wife record the team, I would get rid of the color after signing the divorce papers. Kinda surprised the new Mrs Lurie doesn’t push harder for a change.
I wish striped socks had not gone out of fashion with teams that used to wear them, but I’m glad some teams are sticking with them. Wearing the stripes down around the ankles instead of midcalf, as some players do, pretty much defeats the purpose, but whatever. A lot of players wear them correctly, and it’s nice to see.
Has anyone here ever written about those long narrow strips of cloth that some players wear down the back of their pants like tails? (See photo #8 and Ugly Number One). I can think of no earthly purpose for them. They’re not towels. So what are they? Anybody know?
Maybe the lions can now accept the blueberries didn’t help them them win and they should now be considered cursed to never be worn on the field again.
How bout an AND TWO/ONE for regular home/road non alternative unis? or better yet a top 10 worst?
Perhaps washington at arizona? titans at colts? falcons at saints?
All Lime Green Seahawks versus Jagwires in All Teal. Would be an advertisement for vomit.
For the future, only letting teams appear once seems pretty limiting. I get the idea, but it forces you to include match-ups like the Falcons/Giants game in the top 10 of the year, where it clearly does not belong. Also, Bills-Niners is the uniform game of the year for me hands down. Incredible color combo that pops like crazy in the snow!
Thanks for all of the NFL 5&1s this year, Phil!