Good morning, Uni Watchers, and a Happy Humpday to all. I hope everyone had a pleasant Tuesday.
About a week ago, while looking back at the NFL’s 2024 season, I noted that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did not wear their alternate pewter jerseys the entire season, and speculated the team may have quietly retired them.
Towards the end of that article, I wrote (emphasis mine)…
Honestly, I hope we’ve seen the last of the pewter tops. Whether the team will add a new alternate (maybe a white Bucco Bruce throwback jersey — fingers crossed — with orange pants), keep the pewter as an option, or simply drop it remains to be seen. If jersey sales are any indication, the Bucs are probably done with it.
…with the part about the Buccaneers possibly adding a new white alternate from the Bucco Bruce era being almost a bit of wishful thinking on my part. But is it really out of the question?
I didn’t think much more about it until our own Mike Engle spotted the following post on Instagram (I’m screenshotting it and posting it below in case it gets taken down).
As you can see, the post clearly shows a white Buccaneers jersey from 1976. The key line in the post is “However they may have slipped and also unveiled their white creamsicle jersey for this season as well. This logo and uniform mockup was included in a video released earlier this weekend by the emblem’s designer Allan Peters.”
Very interesting! Obviously, this is in no way any kind of confirmation the Bucs will indeed add a white throwback, but it certainly raises the possibility.
The Bucs’ most recent redesign was for the 2020 season, when they (mostly) returned to their “classic red and pewter” uniforms worn from 1997-2013, replacing the horrific “alarm clock” uniforms worn from 2014-2019. That means they’ve been wearing their current set for the five year minimum, so they could redesign for 2025. Even if the Bucs don’t redesign (and I hope they don’t, although I’d love it if they could lighten the shade of pewter they currently use), they can certainly replace their pewter alternate with a new alternate. Could they be dumping the pewter for a white Bucco Bruce? They certainly can.
2025 will be the Buccaneers’ 50th season — and the white jersey depicted in the Instagram post was worn for one season only, in their inaugural year of 1976. Note the orange numbers with red outlines.
What better way to celebrate their 50th season than to bring back a throwback to their first season?
The Buccaneers did introduce a creamsicle jersey along with the white in 1976, but that was worn only in the pre-season. For the entire regular season, the Bucs wore only white jerseys.
If you know NFL or Buccaneers history, you may also know the Buccaneers not only wore their white jerseys for the full 1976 season, they also didn’t win a single game that season, going 0-14 (in fact, the Bucs were so bad in their early years they ended up losing their first 26 NFL games, spanning two seasons — which also is still the record for most consecutive losses for any NFL team).
By today’s standards, there would be no visibility issues at all with those orange numbers and NOB, but after one season, the team swapped the orange numbers and NOB for red, reversing the red/orange number and outline for 1977 and beyond. From 1977 through 1991, the team had both creamsicle and white jerseys, and both were paired with white pants.
In 1992, the Bucs added a pair of orange pants, which were worn exclusively with the white jerseys. They’d keep these until their 1997 rebrand, when they’d become a red and pewter team.
The white jersey/orange pants is what I was hoping the Bucs would use as a basis for a new alternate, but the jersey style shown in the Instagram post is from 1976.
It would make sense to wear that throwback for their 50th season, although the team went 0-14 in those uniforms in 1976. Which, for those who remember the Bucs’ early years, might not bring back too many warm and fuzzy memories of on-field success. But on the other hand, if the Bucs were to bring the 1976 white uniform back, good on them for choosing aesthetics over an “unlucky” (or worse) uniform.
Are the graphics in the Instagram post to be believed? One clue can be found in the renderings: if you look closely, you’ll see the red Buccaneers (current) jersey is depicted with Nike’s previous jersey template. Normally that’s a red flag, but the Buccaneers still wore that style last year (you can see it more closely in the GUD graphic).
The possible white throwback, however, is depicted in Nike’s latest jersey style. The creamsicle throwbacks (re)introduced two seasons ago are on the newest jersey chassis. It would make sense that the Bucs would keep the older style for the red jerseys and use the newer one for a possible new white throwback. So, based off that, it makes sense.
But there is one part of the graphic that gives me pause: note it appears to be missing a red sleeve cap stripe.
I’m not entirely sure what to make of that. It speaks to sloppy work at best, and a possibly fake graphic at worst.
I was hoping to see Mr. Peters’ video, but it has apparently been taken down, so there’s no way to confirm if the graphic from the Insta post is the same as in his video. The first hit in this Google search shows what appears to be Peters’ video, but when one clicks the link, it leads to Peters’ home page on Instagram. I asked Mike to check to see if he could find the video, and he noted “the link is broken, as if he accidentally uploaded it and now it’s gone.”
So for now we have only the one graphic. With the exception of the faulty graphic, the white jersey to be worn as a throwback to 1976 for the team’s 50th season checks a lot of boxes. But does that mean a new white throwback is on the way? Maybe. We’ll need to likely wait until after the NFL draft for official confirmation (or refutation). But either way, color me intrigued and sign me up for a white throwback today!
Your thoughts?
GTGFTS:
June 21, 1994
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Yankees 6, Twins 4
Mark Messier hoists the Stanley Cup which the Rangers won one week earlier.
Debbie Downer here….
Tying the Bucs’ “throwback” jersey in the graphic and the Rays’ redesign together, both are heavily associated with losing, especially when the Bucs were winless in the Orange numbers. Personally I have no issue with either except for the “sloppy” sleeve striping rendition that Phil pointed out, and I wish that the Rays had gone with that Astros template rather than the Padres’ with their Fauxback from a few years’ back.
I’ve never liked the Buccaneers pewter uniforms, especially with pants now that look brown, whereas the Creamsicle uniforms are glorious. I’d love to see these become their main uniforms, with maybe a tweak of the helmet logo with a skeleton Bucco Bruce.
I would applaud both the Bucs in white with orange pants (I just love the combination of orange and red) and the Rays in these proposed stripes. Colorful and unique.
Love those old TB unis. The new ones are blah.
Would love to see a white TB throwback. The NFL needs throwback weekends, would make some great color v color matchups also. The rays mockups are nice. Better than the CC junk.
No. Please. I liked the Bucs white shirt/white pants combo. And their orange shirt/white pants combo.
The orange pants might be the worse pair of colored pants in the pre-Nike-fication era. I’m inclined to like teams changing up pants when wearing white jerseys, but I hated the orange pants almost from the first time they were used.
“By today’s standards, there would be no visibility issues at all with those orange numbers and NOB”
I wasn’t around in ’76 but what has changed in visibility? Was this a TV issue?
Orange is a dicey color on a white background. It glows under lighting and the sun. For that reason, the Broncos have usually worn blue numbers on thr road jerseys.
so what has changed from 1976 to 2025?
I’d say your television reception is probably a little clearer.
Those may have been considered “illegible” back in the day. That’s why they switched to red numbers outlined in orange.
With all the stealth jerseys we see today — which are far more illegible — it’s almost laughable that those orange numbers (which may have been slightly unreadable under a high sun) were considered not to have enough contrast back then. Today? We’d have no such complaints.
GTGFTU: Hurricanes at Sabres, Feb 1, 2023
I don’t think I knew the Sabres paired that reverse retro jersey with white pants. Woof!
Why have one bad hockey uniform, when you could have two.
At great expense, I had a custom-made white 1976 Bucs’ jersey made in my size, and it’s been worth every penny! Great conversation piece.
Great little investigation here. Hoping we get both versions of the creamsicle!
Orange and red is just a beautiful color combo.
Tequila sunrise rays is insanely great!
I’m happy. They were fun to draw.
OK so if the Buccaneers do go with a white throwback jersey do they go full mono-white or do they go with the orange pants? I realize the point of the article is that they have a 50th season patch and a possible throwback white jersey leak but it’s fun to consider the orange pants.
Lifelong Bucs fan, with my first jersey from the iconic Sears Christmas Wish Book: I wish I had a photo with me wearing it, but it was white with the team name and numbers (76) in solid Florida Orange. When I reunited with a middle/high school friend on Facebook about 16 years ago, her first reminiscing thought was, “And you liked Tampa Bay. Nobody liked Tampa Bay, but bless your big heart, you stuck with them.” My eternal problem with wearing anything white, whether I was 13 or turning 58 next week, is that it’s a magnet for condiments.
So, Phil and Mike, I really hope your scavenger results (with the fixed striping) reflect a realistic white alternate to the 50th-year Bucs’ wardrobe. The orange numbers from ’76, even if they did go 0-14, would be a treat for all of us Buccaneer lifers. Not sure if the orange pants would be a good look with those; never thought I’d see too much orange in a uniform set, but I imagine the Bucs’ uni trusts have tried matching the ’76 jersey with both orange and white pants options and will give us a great looking 50th season. I’d like to know what players from those first year (calling Dewey Selmon) think as well.
Also, in this Tampa Bay loaded thread today, I must give Walter his flowers as well on his Rays concept kits. I like the set with the blue caps and name plate, but I like the stingray for the art piece. Maybe a mashup? Love the stripes, great idea and fun look!
Thanks for the bouquets, Terry. I like to be more effusive with my replies, but today’s entries were not readable on a mobile
I loved everything about the Bucs when they came into existence from Coach McKay to their colors and their sense of style. Living in northern Illinois at the time it was hard taking the bus on Monday mornings as an 11 year old in 1978 having to stomach the snark coming from the Bears, Packers, and Lions fans. Starting off 0-14, 2-12, and 5-11 made the ‘79 run so very sweet. I couldn’t watch them on TV unless they played the Bears. But the Sears wish book had ‘em and I wore my Dewey Selmon jersey with pride even if you couldn’t get it in the fabulous orange.
Look what I found below! Behold the majesty of the online wish book!
link
That is TOO SWEET! Thanks for the find, SK!
The Bucs play at Seattle next year, the other expansion team from ’76. They are both celebrating 50th anniversaries.
Hoping for a dual-throwback game, which would be in line with having a road jersey.
Ooooohhhh. Good call. I am definitely thinking if they break out the white throwbacks, they’ll definitely wear them at home (as that was their home AND road uni in 1976), but they *could* go with the orange AND white for one home game apiece, and they’d still have one “free” week to wear the white tops at Seattle.
Too bad Seattle’s throwback isn’t to their original uniform, but still…would be a looker!
I don’t think the Bucs have worn the Bucco throwbacks more than one time in a season before, and never before on the road, but I am all for them making an exception this year (maybe all whites at home, then white over orange pants on the road in Seattle?).
Maybe some future year the Bucs can wear a 90s throwback version (with the larger helmet decal and cleaner lines on Bruce) to match the Seahawks style, but this year, being the anniversary, should stay 70s for sure.
Tequila sunrise works really well for the Rays! Great concept, Walter!