Where will the new Falcons uniforms be located among the Nike NFL redesigns?
At least, Nike’s NFL uniforms have been … creative.
Nike burst onto the NFL scene in 2012 when it became the league’s official supplier of uniforms, immediately redesigning the look of the Seahawks and Jaguars. One is already a look, the other, not so much.
Nike has had a few changes and glitches when it comes to its redesigns. While the concepts are great, some suffer from over-design, or over-branding, where a little simplicity would have gone a long way. In some cases, that overdesign occurred at the expense of a team’s brand, leading to less-than-stellar results.
To be fair, none of the uniforms in the second half of this ranking is really horrible: there have been really bad uniforms in the history of the sport, and none of those on this list meet that requirement.
Following the Buccaneers, the Falcons, Browns, Rams, and Chargers are getting new looks for 2020 (and the Colts and Patriots are getting smaller updates). Let’s take a look at how Nike has fared over the years with its current settings. This is how they are classified:
11. Jaguars (2013)
Blake Bortleshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/2a/16/billsjaguarsgetty1028ftr_19sy40yflozee1apwocl803yyq.jpg?t=-1341472088,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
The Jags are one of the few teams to get updated uniforms more than once since Nike took over. That’s for a good cause: The first attempt to update their uniforms turned out to be a bit tricky.
While the team desperately needed a new design, something about these uniforms simply felt like a mosaic. Maybe it was the different colored shoulders, the multiple stitch that borders the numbers, or the really bad weathered helmet. Actually, it was probably a combination of all three.
The best thing about these updated uniforms was the new logo, which was very necessary and added many details. Overall, these were probably the worst makeovers Nike has ever made, so the Jags changed it in the next available moment.
Best uniform feature: At least the Jaguars adopted their color scheme, which is among the best in the league.
Worst uniform feature: The shoulders and helmets were appalling. There’s a gradient and then there’s a false gradient, and the Jags helmets were definitely a false gradient.
10. Buccaneers (2020)
Back to the future for the Bucs, but you don’t need a DeLorean.
If these uniforms look strangely familiar, it is because they are strangely familiar; They are adjacent to the uniforms they had prior to Nike’s 2014 redesign, with a few minor changes. The team even references it in its official launch via its website.
The numbering does not present any new flavor and the actual simplicity of the uniforms themselves is a departure considering, at a minimum, Nike tried something new and different with the design of previous Bucs uniforms.
In general, these uniforms are painfully bland. They’re not bad. They’re just bland. They are unattractive and uninspiring. The font and number do nothing new or original. Design is so basic that it’s surprising why they ever changed in the first place.
Best uniform feature: The subtle orange stripes on the pants and (apparently) the orange outline on the numbers go well together.
Worst uniform feature: The numbers and the font. It is as if the main office is so scared of a little criticism of the old numbers and going back to the fetal position with the design. Ah good.
9. Browns (2015)
Cleveland Brownshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/2f/b4/uniform-cleveland-browns-070215-nike-ftrjpg_mt61fverq7wh170n919qln7hb.jpg?t=1341003814,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
In a word: bold.
It is not easy to make brown and orange work as primary colors in sports. They are so monotonous. So when Nike took these uniforms, they increased the “boldness,quot; in them.
Whether it’s the contrasting stitching on the uniforms, the “BROWNS,quot; on the side of the pants, the aggressive shading on the numbers, or the thicker stripes on the shoulders, Nike took the brand from Cleveland and Browns-ed. It was neither good nor bad. It just … was. There is nothing particularly offensive on the outside about these uniforms.
The new Browns kits are coming soon, and there has been a promise to make the uniforms “nothing fancy.” Well we’ll see.
Best uniform feature: The orange attacked the eyes much less than the previous orange, and worked well with the brown of the uniform.
Worst uniform feature: The shadows: OMG, the shadows. I’m not sure any team really needs shade right now, unless they really envy 90s artwork.
8. Buccaneers (2014)
Buccaneer uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/1c/eb/buccaneers-uniforms-053119-getty-ftr_kejh2qs478ys1ih84cl8c3m2q.jpeg?t=252852259,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
Buccaneer uniforms are pretty hated, and some with good reason. The numbers, accused of looking like a digital watch, are inspired by “Buccaneer blade carving,quot; fonts, which is understandable. The problem is that the numbers do It looks like a digital watch, and that takes away much of his uniform. The fountain also makes the uniform appear empty as well.
(A simple solution: If Nike removed the inner lines from the numbers, the jerseys would make a lot more “sense.”)
Then there is the color scheme. Red would work best if not juxtaposed next to a pewter color that almost looks more light brown than gray or silver. The orange embellishment designs on the shirt also feel a little out of place, even if they pay homage to the Bucs of yesteryear.
Altogether these units are not as bad as people make them seem. They are a little too original, with too many colors mixed, to be attractive to the eye.
Best uniform feature: Nike did well to enlarge the logo on the helmet, and it looks much better overall.
Worst uniform feature: Once you pass the numbers, there is another egregious error. Tin is not, or does not appear to be, tin. It looks almost brown. If the pewter had been more … pewter, these uniforms would probably look better entirely.
7. Titans (2018)
Titan uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/52/47/titans-080718-ftrjpg_4ycz6m3akjpg1orlt4ft06uz8.jpg?t=367726493,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
The Titans, like many other teams in professional sports, use a blue and white palette with some red spray. The most notable changes to the uniforms are the helmet, which features a single stripe, and the shoulders, which resemble a sword. The font on the uniforms was also changed to something that resembles “letters carved in stone.” It’s less bold than the previous numbers, and while unique, it feels a bit thin and overrated.
While the sword seems a little out of place on an NFL jersey, it’s still not terrible considering its logo is a sword. It’s certainly new and somewhat daring, so having those razor-themed images on the jersey in addition to the helmet isn’t a bad idea.
The stripes on the pants are not bad either. Overall, they’re good uniforms that fit their brand, and Nike did a good job with the new look.
Best uniform feature: The new navy helmets work much better than the old all-white offerings, and the sword stripe is neat. However, he is certainly pushing too hard.
Worst uniform feature: Speaking of overuse, the sword stripes on the pants are a bit weird. It is not horrible, just strange.
6. Jaguars (2018)
Jaguar uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/1c/6c/jaguars-080718-ftrjpg_1x6lrtihpxaxf12k8reqyq6cej.jpg?t=359443173,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
Where Nike got heavy on design in 2013, they were very simple in the latest iteration of the Jags and uniforms. Smooth and subdued, clearly inspired by Tom Coughlin.
They got rid of the weathered helmet (thank goodness for that) for a solid black one and removed the strange sleeves of different colors. The secondary Jaguar logo patch on the hood was also replaced with the main logo.
Its color scheme still stands out, which is good: Jacksonville’s teal, black, and gold are among the best color schemes in the sport. But there is something missing here. Maybe it’s due to a logo update, or maybe they should give a summary on the uniform numbers. The simple look of them feels a little too bland.
Otherwise, a solid uniform.
Best uniform feature: There can be beauty in simplicity. The beauty is a bit strong, but it blends in quite a bit with the numbers, lack of overdesign, and color scheme for a decent package.
Worst uniform feature: These uniforms could certainly have benefited from a gold outline in numbers, but even that went out the door with the redesign.
5. Lions (2017)
Lions uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/92/82/lions-uniforms-060319-getty-ftr_11sd3ii7zn9v91fsojf00ewqe2.jpeg?t=505693211,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
The Lions’ uniforms are still one of the best in soccer, and all thanks to that Honolulu blue. But the subtle, streamlined updates Nike made to these uniforms in 2017 make them the best in football.
First, Nike removed the black coloration from the uniform, replacing it with anthracite, a color that blends more seamlessly into the unit as a whole. The numbers and nameplate, which were originally white, were updated to silver for the house uniforms and blue for visitors. The helmet was also redesigned, with updated stripes in the middle.
William C. Ford’s initials were added to the shoulder pads, which also had updated stripes, and the mask was changed from black to chrome. The new font is also more in line with the Detroit brand.
Nike showed that sometimes a simple update of what’s already there can lead to near perfection.
Best uniform feature: Colors mix better than any soccer team. Honolulu blue is arguably the best shade in the sport, and light gray pairs perfectly with it.
Worst uniform feature: The contours go too far. Have you seen how many outlines the Lions logo has? It’s like, 10. (Actually, it’s four, but two would be enough).
4. Vikings (2013)
Viking uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/70/74/vikings-uniforms-060219-getty-ftr_tcu1urwul9y01gdc9u3cnqe8x.jpeg?t=427210323,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
The rumors of an intense makeover for the Vikings in 2013 were actually corroborated by then-racer Adrian Peterson, who said the original design he was seeing felt like “a bit elusive.”
However, these are not. Updated bold fonts that are supposed to mimic the curves on a Viking ship fit the uniform very well, and the unique shoulder design also gives them a distinctive look.
The new matte helmets were also introduced in 2013, although a slight color adjustment occurred prior to the 2019 season to better match the uniform under the lights. This is how a unique, futuristic-looking, identifiable uniform is made without going overboard.
Best uniform feature: The discreet design on the shoulder is a welcome addition. Nike shows you can do something different than traditional stripes on a uniform and it will work.
Worst uniform feature: While the stripes on the pants are straightforward, the bottoms don’t really have as much “look,quot; as the tops.
3. Jets (2019)
From left Jamal Adams, Sam Darnold, Leonard Williams.https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/87/73/jets-uniforms-040419-nike-ftrjpg_1ms3vius40nc71wggoqzfjtuct.jpg?t=-352841935,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
Many people were enraged in the Jets’ uniforms when they were released, because it is social media law to hate new things. But where Nike generally adds a bit of unnecessary detail to uniforms, what they did with the Jets was just the opposite.
Previous Jets uniforms looked horrible on television; green looked like two different shades, and both faded into a pretty awful brown shade throughout the season. But now, with the streamlined shoulder-to-chest stripe and a more vibrant shade of green, the university really stands out on Sundays.
While some scoffed at the uniforms for looking “too much of a varsity / CFL,quot; (a complaint that never made much sense to start with), on Sundays, in action, they looked elegant and sharp. The updated green was a welcome sight from the deep, muted green they had on previous iterations of their uniforms. Black substitutes work quite well, even with excessive use of black in today’s league.
Best uniform feature: Helmets really shine under the lights. Black masks also work well there.
Worst uniform feature: The logo is still horrendous. Although it fits in the helmet, it has no personality. We get it: soccer jets. How about something that adds more identity than just the team name?
2. Dolphins (2018)
Dolphin uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/f5/bb/dolphins-080718-ftrjpg_5b0dr7lmk11s13zybk7prb11v.jpg?t=357608173,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
It’s hard to argue that when it comes to the total package, the Dolphins don’t have the best color, logo or uniform combination in football. That’s why a lot of people held their breath when it was announced that the Fish would be getting new looks for the 2018 season.
But the updated logo, solid stripe on the hull, and stripe removal on the sleeves give the dolphins a pleasantly cool, solid, and simple look.
Best uniform feature: The updated logo is something that works very well. While the dolphin hull (Snowflake?) Is sorely missed, the new logo maintains the same spirit and offers a much-needed upgrade.
Worst uniform feature: While simplicity is certainly welcome, it looks like they could use shoulder stripes as the previous iteration of their uniform. Also, understandably, it probably wouldn’t fit.
1. Seahawks (2012)
Seahawks uniformshttps://images.daznservices.com/di/library/sporting_news/4e/66/seahawks-uniforms-060319-getty-ftr_e1lj7k2xvvx113wnb214f9eop.jpeg?t=519214259,amp;w=500,amp;quality=80
Possibly the best of Nike’s redesigns, the Seahawks went from being a ham sandwich to an amazing steakhouse dinner.
Nike spent a lot of time on the details on these uniforms, from the necklace designs inspired by the Seattle area’s indigenous tribes to the feather and helmet design numbers, inspired by Native American coastal art.
They are futuristic without excessive design, with enough local flavor that represents the city without being dominant. Not just the best Nike redesign, but one of the best soccer uniforms.
While the color palette is a bit boring, the neon green on the uniform highlights the rest perfectly without being overbearing.
Best uniform feature: Helmets feature the feather design present in the rest of the uniform, and it really sets itself apart when paired with other uniforms in the league.
Worst uniform feature: While the Seahawks’ logo is certainly iconic, when Nike remade the logo in 2012, they stripped off the green that now appears on uniforms. A curious change for the “Emerald City,quot;.
Image Source:*upnewsinfo.com
Source:upnewsinfo.com
