NIKE NFL Uniforms

[Nomad]

I hope the new Rams alternate is not a blue and white 60s throwback. I know some people are in love with those, but I never cared for them. Preferably, the alternate should be something new that incorporates the royal blue and gold of the present alternates with a more modern template. (Although, personally, I have no problem with the 90s look.)

[WSU151]

Quite the change from "we're going to leave our mark on every team!"

I'm guessing Phil and co. got a nice talking to from the NFL Powers That Be.

Sadly, I think they will leave their mark on every team. They might not come out with Pro Combat-esque unis for every team, but I imagine they will convert every team to one of their terrible templates, which will lead to them telling teams "we can't fit sleeve numbers, sleeve stripes, cuffs or shoulder stripes on our technologically advanced templates." This might not happen in the next couple of years (although supposedly every team will be wearing one of their templates this year), but who knows where jerseys will be when the Nike contract ends. Just looking back to 2001 before Reebok took over for all teams, jerseys had shrunken considerably since 1995, but were still huge compared to what Reebok made this past season. Football players might be wearing tanktops ten years from now.

even if nike forces the pro combat or speed machine jersey template on every single team there should not be an issue...nike has clearly demonstrated that they can do northwestern stripes with the tosu white fauxback and ucla stripes that actually wrap below the shoulder...those two styles basically cover the requirements of 80% of the traditional nfl jerseys...where I see the major obstacles would be with the awful modern designs that reebok did with the bengals, falcons, cardinals, and vikings...I'll be happy to see those disasters gone.

also keep in mind that most teams with the last few years with reebok were an absolute mess...you had some teams using 5 different jersey cuts and massive amounts of custom tailoring that completely distorted some designs that resulted in wild variations between players...then add in the tech fit jerseys to round things out.

my prediction is that nike will bring a much needed consistency and improved looks for many teams that had degraded over the last few years.

Different positions require different jersey cuts. I really don't need my QB to be wearing the most stretched out jersey known to mankind...

[guest23]

Quite the change from "we're going to leave our mark on every team!"

I'm guessing Phil and co. got a nice talking to from the NFL Powers That Be.

Sadly, I think they will leave their mark on every team. They might not come out with Pro Combat-esque unis for every team, but I imagine they will convert every team to one of their terrible templates, which will lead to them telling teams "we can't fit sleeve numbers, sleeve stripes, cuffs or shoulder stripes on our technologically advanced templates." This might not happen in the next couple of years (although supposedly every team will be wearing one of their templates this year), but who knows where jerseys will be when the Nike contract ends. Just looking back to 2001 before Reebok took over for all teams, jerseys had shrunken considerably since 1995, but were still huge compared to what Reebok made this past season. Football players might be wearing tanktops ten years from now.

even if nike forces the pro combat or speed machine jersey template on every single team there should not be an issue...nike has clearly demonstrated that they can do northwestern stripes with the tosu white fauxback and ucla stripes that actually wrap below the shoulder...those two styles basically cover the requirements of 80% of the traditional nfl jerseys...where I see the major obstacles would be with the awful modern designs that reebok did with the bengals, falcons, cardinals, and vikings...I'll be happy to see those disasters gone.

also keep in mind that most teams with the last few years with reebok were an absolute mess...you had some teams using 5 different jersey cuts and massive amounts of custom tailoring that completely distorted some designs that resulted in wild variations between players...then add in the tech fit jerseys to round things out.

my prediction is that nike will bring a much needed consistency and improved looks for many teams that had degraded over the last few years.

Different positions require different jersey cuts. I really don't need my QB to be wearing the most stretched out jersey known to mankind...

yeah the existence of position based cuts are pretty obvious and I considered that a given when writing my comment...to elaborate nike and reebok templates differed dramatically.

with nike you essentially have every player wearing the same template (speed machine/pro combat etc.)...the torsos are identical and the only variation between the position "cuts" are in the sleeves...if you look at the team catalogs you basically have lineman cap sleeves, skill cap sleeves, and short cuffed sleeves for qb's and other exceptions.

reebok has been an entirely different animal where I've seen players on the same team an position wearing dramatically different templates/patterns like the traditional square yoke next to a raglan sleeve, which are completely different styles of construction.

hopefully that clarifies things for ya.

[hailstateunis]

Hopefully the new Rams alt will be their current home uniforms and the new regular uniforms will be the throwbacks.

[CrazyAnna]

my prediction is that nike will bring a much needed consistency and improved looks for many teams that had degraded over the last few years.

I agree.

[DustDevil61]

my prediction is that nike will bring a much needed consistency and improved looks for many teams that had degraded over the last few years.

I agree.

As do I.

[DustDevil61]

Hopefully the new Rams alt will be their current home uniforms and the new regular uniforms will be the throwbacks.

I hope so. I've long wanted the Rams to go back to Athletic Gold; the blue can stay (they'd still stand out with Navy/Athletic Gold), but the washed-out-looking "New Century Gold" (face it, it's just Metallic Gold) has got to go. If they want to try the 1960s blue/white look, try some Athletic Gold trim to the outside of the helmet horn. (I'd get one I whipped up from Flickr, but the site's down, or something).

EDIT: Here's the helmet I made and dug up, being a "fauxback" of sorts to the Fearsome Foursome era:

<shameless plug>

</shameless plug>

[CrazyAnna]

my prediction is that nike will bring a much needed consistency and improved looks for many teams that had degraded over the last few years.

I agree.

As do I.

The way Reebok destroyed the Colts classic shoulder stripes was unforgivable. Nike already showed the classic stripes can easily work with current templates (i.e. LSU's combat uniform).

[TheOldRoman]

The way Reebok destroyed the Colts classic shoulder stripes was unforgivable. Nike already showed the classic stripes can easily work with current templates (i.e. LSU's combat uniform).

But even on nike's LSU pro combat, because of the crappy template which doesn't have a seam under the back shoulders, the stripes ended higher than they did on Reebok jerseys. It was better, but still not good. There is no reason the stripes on the back can't go down to the same level as on the front.

[andrewharrington]

reebok has been an entirely different animal where I've seen players on the same team an position wearing dramatically different templates/patterns like the traditional square yoke next to a raglan sleeve, which are completely different styles of construction.

hopefully that clarifies things for ya.

Just for clarity's sake, this is an issue with the manufacturer, not Reebok. In addition, NFL players generally have their equipment custom tailored after it is delivered, which is why you have a lot of that variation in cut and style beyond the basic positional differences. Do you have an example of two players on the same team, one wearing a square yoke and the other a raglan (not including teams that were testing the TechFit-style jerseys)?

[guest23]

reebok has been an entirely different animal where I've seen players on the same team an position wearing dramatically different templates/patterns like the traditional square yoke next to a raglan sleeve, which are completely different styles of construction.

hopefully that clarifies things for ya.

Just for clarity's sake, this is an issue with the manufacturer, not Reebok. In addition, NFL players generally have their equipment custom tailored after it is delivered, which is why you have a lot of that variation in cut and style beyond the basic positional differences. Do you have an example of two players on the same team, one wearing a square yoke and the other a raglan (not including teams that were testing the TechFit-style jerseys)?

I see it both ways...the variations most definitely have to do with the manufacturer having so many templates available which may be a bit of overkill imo but ultimately doesn't reebok have the last say in quality control and tell ripon or whomever that "these are the templates that we are using on field for each team to achieve a consistent look"..I'm guessing that nike will control this aspect much more than reebok did as they are much more controlling over how their product is presented.

as far as the raglan/square goes...from the best of my recollection I can think of the cowboys, eagles, and previous bills as examples but I think there are a few more...it's much easier to notice on tv than from a photo record...and when I mean raglan I'm talking about a pattern that resembles the harrington era ducks jerseys but the reebok one is slightly modified in that it also has over the shoulder seams but has a raglan appearance nonetheless.

[ns80]

I'm hoping the Bengals' jerseys improve. Every since the newest style was released the only one that showed any promise were the Orange Alts.

[BBTV]

reebok has been an entirely different animal where I've seen players on the same team an position wearing dramatically different templates/patterns like the traditional square yoke next to a raglan sleeve, which are completely different styles of construction.

hopefully that clarifies things for ya.

Just for clarity's sake, this is an issue with the manufacturer, not Reebok. In addition, NFL players generally have their equipment custom tailored after it is delivered, which is why you have a lot of that variation in cut and style beyond the basic positional differences. Do you have an example of two players on the same team, one wearing a square yoke and the other a raglan (not including teams that were testing the TechFit-style jerseys)?

I know there have been Eagles players (D-linemen from what I recall) that have worn the raglan sleeve, even though they use a standard set-in template. I can't search for evidence right now, but I want to say that Hugh Douglass used to wear raglan, and at least a couple of the current players do.

[Claystation360]

It confirms the Seahawks overhaul and new Steelers alts, but also mentions new Rams alts.

That's excellent news. Good riddance to the worst throwbacks in league history. "HAY GUYS, LETZ THROW BACK 2 WHEN WE SUCKED AND WORE EVEN UGLER GEAR!"

Well not to rain on your parade but the Rams went to 2 Super Bowls and won one sporting the royal and ath yellow. Yes they have had some good seasons and a Super Bowl birth but lately they have had some dismal seasons and just plain been the suck ass of late with their generic millennium navy and new century gold.

Cujo was talking about the Steelers, not the Rams. That's why he put "new Steelers alts" in bold.

Oops my mistake that's what happens when trying to read this board while at lunch @ work.

[Claystation360]

I hope the new Rams alternate is not a blue and white 60s throwback. I know some people are in love with those, but I never cared for them. Preferably, the alternate should be something new that incorporates the royal blue and gold of the present alternates with a more modern template. (Although, personally, I have no problem with the 90s look.)

I will be intrigued if its late 60's blue and white for the Rams and they go which they haven't wore in a while and they actually do an ath gold throwback like the one in 94 or a simple modern 3rd jersey that's new century gold with the modern design and navy.

[Bouj]

reebok has been an entirely different animal where I've seen players on the same team an position wearing dramatically different templates/patterns like the traditional square yoke next to a raglan sleeve, which are completely different styles of construction.

hopefully that clarifies things for ya.

Just for clarity's sake, this is an issue with the manufacturer, not Reebok. In addition, NFL players generally have their equipment custom tailored after it is delivered, which is why you have a lot of that variation in cut and style beyond the basic positional differences. Do you have an example of two players on the same team, one wearing a square yoke and the other a raglan (not including teams that were testing the TechFit-style jerseys)?

I know there have been Eagles players (D-linemen from what I recall) that have worn the raglan sleeve, even though they use a standard set-in template. I can't search for evidence right now, but I want to say that Hugh Douglass used to wear raglan, and at least a couple of the current players do.

Texans skill position players wear the different jerseys. Arian Foster has what I think is being referred to as the raglan cut, while Andre Johnson is in the standard cut (the one like most QB's wear).

[andrewharrington]

reebok has been an entirely different animal where I've seen players on the same team an position wearing dramatically different templates/patterns like the traditional square yoke next to a raglan sleeve, which are completely different styles of construction.

hopefully that clarifies things for ya.

Just for clarity's sake, this is an issue with the manufacturer, not Reebok. In addition, NFL players generally have their equipment custom tailored after it is delivered, which is why you have a lot of that variation in cut and style beyond the basic positional differences. Do you have an example of two players on the same team, one wearing a square yoke and the other a raglan (not including teams that were testing the TechFit-style jerseys)?

I see it both ways...the variations most definitely have to do with the manufacturer having so many templates available which may be a bit of overkill imo but ultimately doesn't reebok have the last say in quality control and tell ripon or whomever that "these are the templates that we are using on field for each team to achieve a consistent look"..I'm guessing that nike will control this aspect much more than reebok did as they are much more controlling over how their product is presented.

as far as the raglan/square goes...from the best of my recollection I can think of the cowboys, eagles, and previous bills as examples but I think there are a few more...it's much easier to notice on tv than from a photo record...and when I mean raglan I'm talking about a pattern that resembles the harrington era ducks jerseys but the reebok one is slightly modified in that it also has over the shoulder seams but has a raglan appearance nonetheless.

I don't think Reebok regulates that, and I think that's one of the reasons the players liked it. The equipment managers could basically get whatever they wanted. I've heard that Nike doesn't serve the business in this way, like you said, being very strict and regulatory. I've heard a rumor that they've even sent letters to some smaller retailers stating that say they don't meet the requirements to be an official Nike NFL retailer or something to that effect. The attitude they have toward this type of thing could potentially make teams and retailers very angry, so we'll see.

[Claystation360]

What are the requirements to be an official Nike NFL retailer? I hope this contract isn't already going to their head.

[rams80]

Hopefully the new Rams alt will be their current home uniforms and the new regular uniforms will be the throwbacks.

Dear God no. The Tony Banks uniforms need to go back in the closet from whence they came.

/It's going to be a ing metallic gold alt. Just watch.

[Claystation360]

Hopefully the new Rams alt will be their current home uniforms and the new regular uniforms will be the throwbacks.

Dear God no. The Tony Banks uniforms need to go back in the closet from whence they came.

/It's going to be a ing metallic gold alt. Just watch.

I mean there is only do many logical options of what they can go so it's either gonna be the foursome throwback or like you said a ing metallic gold alt, everyone's has to give it one go around. Because I don't see a black & red throwback to the Cleveland days...