One of the more popular trends in the NFL is for teams to go full Icy White or Icy White below the neck (10 teams in 2024 went full mono-white, 17 more wore all-white below the neck), but the all-black uniform is still a popular option. Some teams are what we call BFBS (Black for Black’s Sake) while others have black as a team color; some go all-black as an alternate look, while a couple teams have gone all-black as part of their primary uniform. One team wears all-black as its CR uniform.
But no matter how teams come to go full black, there were probably more teams to wear it than you’d think. If you had to guess, how many teams wore an all-black look at least once in 2024?
It’s not quite as many as those who went Icy White, but it’s still 1/4th of the league: that’s right, 8 teams went all-black in 2024. This list will only include teams that wore head-to-toe black. There were a number of teams who wore all-black below the neck (Saints, Lions, for example) and a couple teams have very dark (but not black) mono uniforms (Titans, Texans, for example). But for today we’re just concerned with mono-black teams.
Here’s a look at all of them.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals all-black is their alternate uniform, and it was worn three times this past season (the maximum for an alternate). While these technically fall into the BFBS category, the Cardinals first introduced a black alternate jersey back in 2010. In 2017, the team added black pants and socks, creating the (then) Color Rush uniform. When the NFL dropped its one-shell rule in 2022, the Cardinals added a black helmet, creating their first all-black uniform. Finally, the team redesigned for 2023, creating the all-black combo seen above. Perhaps the biggest complaint is the red numbers outlined in silver don’t provide enough contrast and can almost disappear depending on lighting. Overall, strictly as a uniform, it isn’t terrible, but the numbers could be more legible and the Cardinals wordmark on the sleeve stripe needs to go.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons have worn black since their inception (although from 1971 through 1989 they were predominately red), and first wore an all-black combination in 2003, when they introduced black pants into their uniform lineup. Most agree the uniform design is not great, with a giant ATL wordmark on the chest, bespoke number fonts and red angular side panels. Despite all that, the Falcons’ all-black uniforms are almost a signature look. When you see this uniform, you don’t need a scorebug to know it’s them. The Falcons went all-black four times in 2024.
Baltimore Ravens
For reasons I cannot entirely explain, I have always loved the Ravens in mono-black — and for a team with stripeless pants, I would normally hate the look. It’s a combination the team has worn since 2004 (although in 2008 and 2009 they did not), so maybe I’m just used to it. But regardless, I think the Ravens in all-black may be my favorite mono-black uniform. The Ravens went with this combo only once this past season.
Carolina Panthers
Full mono-black is a relatively new look for the Panthers, who have only worn it since 2022, when the NFL allowed teams to wear a second helmet. Since the helmet is considered an alternate, it sees only minimal on-field use. Prior to this season, the Panthers wore the black helmet only with the all-black elements, but in 2024, the Panthers paired the black helmet with their Process blue jerseys for two games. The team had previously worn their silver primary helmets with the mono-black (in fact, they still do pair them together, including once this season), but I don’t like that combo at all. Adding the black helmet makes this look mono and actually looks pretty good. I know the Panthers love to trot out different many different uni combos throughout the season, but they should permanently drop the silver helmet with the mono-black below the neck. It’s a fine look with the black hat. Awful without.
New York Jets
Ugh. This may be the worst of all the mono-blacks, and this is the ultimate BFBS uniform. The Jets first went with an all-black uniform (but green helmet) back in 2019, when they introduced their previous uniform set. When the NFL permitted a second shell in 2022, the Jets immediately added the black hat to complete the full mono-BFBS outfit. When the team redesigned for this past season, essentially returning to the “Sack Exchange” uniforms the team wore in the 80s/90s, it was hoped they’d stick to green and white versions. But no, they created another BFBS kit, this time following the stripe/design pattern of the Sack Exchange uniforms. Fortunately, the black helmet and jersey are both considered alternates, and so will see limited use. They wore mono-black thrice in 2022, but just once in 2023 (and that was on Black Friday). This past season the team wore it twice. Which is two times too many.
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are somewhat like the Jets in that they had previously worn mono-black below the neck, but weren’t able to go full mono until the one-shell rule was lifted. But that’s where the similarities end — the Eagles first wore all-black below the neck in 2014, and have worn it in every season since, and black is a part of the Eagles color scheme — so it’s not BFBS. But it’s still not an attractive uniform, and their midnight green is pretty dark anyway, so having an all-black uniform isn’t that much different than if they were to wear mono-midnight green. The Eagles went mono-black just once in 2024. But here’s a fun fact — the Eagles in all-black (with or without black helmet) seems to be the team’s de facto home uniform when they play the New York Giants. In fact, since 2014, when the Eagles introduced the all-black uniform, they have worn it against the Giants every season except for 2017.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Although the Steelers have a black helmet and jersey, their all-black uniform is actually their Color Rush outfit, so it too sees limited use. They debuted the all-black look in 2016, and have worn it at least once a year since. Both the jersey and pants were created specifically for the CR, as the jersey features only black and gold, and the numbers are in a block font. The black pants have only been paired with the CR jersey, and they are the inverse of the normal gold pants they wear (black pants with a thick gold stripe). Although the Steelers look excellent in black over gold, I actually like seeing the CR mono-black once a season. And I’d love to see (at least once) the team pair their white jerseys with the black pants, but so far they have not done so. The all-black was worn just once in 2024.
Washington Commanders
Another ugh! This one gives the Jets some competition as the worst BFBS uniform in the NFL. Some view this uniform (as well as the Commanders’ entire set) as former Daniel Snyder’s final “F-U” to Washington, and it’s almost a certainty the team will have new uniforms sooner rather than later. Although technically the team must wear this set another two years (to fulfill the mandatory 5-year rule), it’s possible the NFL may give the Commanders an exemption and allow them to redesign sooner than that. This uni is better than the Jets BFBS only because the helmet and uni numbers are much more visible than on the Jets’, but worse in almost every other way. It could just be an optical illusion, but the NOB and number appear to be a different shade of gold, and while the pants appear stripeless, they actually have a very subtle camo pattern for a pants stripe. That same subtle pattern is also on the shoulder caps. The sooner the team ditches this BFBS nightmare, the better. It was worn twice this season.
Which of these do you think looks best? Worst? And which teams should completely scrap the look?
“For reasons I cannot entirely explain, I have always loved the Ravens in mono black” I mean ravens themselves are all black, so that probably plays into it.
Ditto!!!
Absolutely this.
The purple and gold go very well and I think something about their badass defences throughout the years helps this look.
Jets, Cardinals, Eagles and Commanders……………. Why????? Just why????
Commanders were the Worst.
Steelers were the Best..
Simply because Pittsburgh color is
BLACK
I see the Jets BFBS as my cost for otherwise having a great set. Honestly they could improved if they wore Green pants in lieu of mono black. The more off the wall option would be to go with a much lighter green on this set for better contrast. Either way id rather they did not wear them.
Objectively the Jets’ BFBS is not a completely terrible look but it’s the most inexcusable, in that the black is solely for black’s sake (as it was in 1990, albeit less-egregiously deployed). If this were a sane and just world, they’d ditch these for a green-jersey 1968/98-hybrid throwback.
Aesthetically I think the worst look on this list is either Atlanta or Washington; the Cardinals look is really not that bad, although silver numerals with red outlines would be an improvement.
Every one of these sucks.
— Disappearing Consensus
Preach, Marty!
I unequivocally dislike each and every one of these. Mono black blows.
In the wild, panthers and ravens are black. On the paint palette, “Jet Black” is a color.
For presentation, the Panthers and Falcons pull off the solid black getup the best.
I share your wish to see the Steelers in black/white/black, and would also get behind a gold jersey… but only once.
I don’t like that they all have black helmets. Having to ‘work around’ one untouchable uniform element for some (OCD?) reason appeals to me.
Even when the Commanders were not good, the black jerseys sold out quick at retail. This year all Commanders gear was sold out everywhere in Richmond.
Both mono black and mono white seem to me the least objectionable monos, probably because they aren’t actually colors so they don’t feel like overload to the eyes. Of course I think that comes with the caveat of contrasting socks and some stripes in the uniform to pull it off well. Mono white sort of works for every team since they all already use white, of course creating a new white helmet just to go mono white is lazy trend following.
For teams that are actually black: Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Atlanta come to mind, it could be a good look depending on things like pant stripes. Ditto for Baltimore who wear enough black to make it work even though they are a purple team. Never been a fan of the Eagles in black because as noted the midnight green is so close to black, and especially the finish on their dark green helmet appears black at times, and just creates a weird look.
Of all the teams pictured Pittsburgh pulls it off best. Atlanta just has horrible uniform design. Carolina and Baltimore both have some flaws in the uniform design, the lack of white in the helmet logo for Carolina, and no pants stripes for Baltimore.
I believe Black is an official color for the Cardinals, so not sure “BFBS” is accurate for them. I actually think this is a way better look than the all red below the white helmet, and overall a pretty good look.
Nineteen teams have worn black on some part of their uniforms outside of BFBS. Chargers wore black numbers on their helmet. Cowboys home jersey has black on the strips. Eagles had black trim in the early 70’s.
Every team in this article has worn some black on their uniform before BFBS.
I guess Cincy didn’t do an all black set this year. Like The Steelers – they pull it off. The rest with other traditional colors – not so much.
Their helmet isn’t black (it’s orange with black stripes). So they don’t fall into this category.
They black jersey/black pants in week 4, but because they don’t have a black helmet and wore orange socks, they don’t count for this list.
Should be noted that the Jets had black accents on their unis back in the 90s (and again on the Gase-era set), so it’s not completely out of nowhere. Still looks awful, but at least with the current design the black is entirely contained on the alternate uniform. And I will die on the hill that BFBS/”Icy-White” uniforms ALWAYS look better without matching alternate helmets
Actually the Bengals “white tiger” unis are an exception to my last statement, but that’s it. Every other team should reserve alternate helmets for throwbacks
I don’t know if I’ve ever noticed the faint camo pattern on the ‘Manders sleeves and pant stripes. Just………ewwww.
The Falcons uniforms are an abomination. All black is by far their worst look it looks like pajamas. At least wear some other colored socks. Stupid ATL on front, ugly side stripe on uni these are the worst combos in the NFL. Need to go full time with the throwbacks which are top 5 in NFL
The all black look is usually a bad look and shouldn’t be used unless that’s a teams main color. They are just trying to move more merchandise.
More like all crap uniforms. The Ravens are the only team in the NFL that should be allowed to wear all black and it should be a rule.
Not a huge fan of most of the all blacks but I have to say, Pittsburgh Steelers are hot. That team should where them for all home games and then use the gold pants for away games.
Houston’s navy is so dark, they may belong on this list.