"Shiny" football pants

[slats7]

Why did the league abandon cotton for shiny, spandex-type pants? I believe they were introduced in 1983 or so, because that's when Dallas and other teams made the switch.

Here are two Dallas pics from the late 70s and early 80s. The pants were cotton and a deeper shade of royal blue:

Then they switched to a shiny, less blue, metallic color:

Anyone know what the modern pants are made of? Raylon? Spandex? Did they switch because it's easier to clean? Curious.

[Cujo]

I would imagine that they did that just to better match the pants with metallic silver of their helmet.

Now if they could only match the navy with the royal.

[LEWJ]

IMO I think the Metallic is better.

(I personally like metallic in football & Basketball)

[TruColor]

Back in the '60s, Tex Schram got the idea to go with a "Metallic Blue" color for the Cowboys and helmets - primarily because of the advent of color television. As far as I can tell, it was a custom metallic color that remained a custom color until the early '90s. Then, the Cowboys started experimenting with various Pantone Metallics in order to come up with the menagerie (read: nightmare) they have today:

Somebody...please help them...

[FiddySicks]

I know this one. The reason they switched is because the pants that arent the shiny ones are really uncomfortable. They have very little give and are hot and scratchy. The new ones feel smooth on your body and are cooler. another reason is so they can wear the pants tighter. although stretchy its really hard to tackle a guy in the new pants that are 92%nylon and 8% spandex because they are tight and pretty slippery. Ive worn both types of football pants and ill tell you the old ones are terrible. it feels like your wearing a pear of tight wool pants, while the new ones are super comfortable

[slats7]

It should be noted that teams like the Giants have kept the old cotton, non-shiny pants. BTW, see the sleeves on Dutton? That's how they SHOULD look.

[pcgd]

It should be noted that teams like the Giants have kept the old cotton, non-shiny pants. BTW, see the sleeves on Dutton? That's how they SHOULD look.

I think that might be more of a polyester like baseball uniforms.

At least that's what our practice pants were made of in football while the game pants were teh shiny spandex like stuff. Shiny was much more comfortable. You'd see guys split out practice pants but I don't think I've ever seen a pair of game pants split out.

As a player, disagree on the sleeves. It was much easier to move around with them tucked up under the pads. Even the mesh practice jerseys with sleeves restricted movement. But to each his own. I just wish more teams would take that into consideration now like the falcons have done. Utilizing the no sleeve look to come up with some striping that works on the pads.

[FiddySicks]

It should be noted that teams like the Giants have kept the old cotton, non-shiny pants. BTW, see the sleeves on Dutton? That's how they SHOULD look.

I think that might be more of a polyester like baseball uniforms.

At least that's what our practice pants were made of in football while the game pants were teh shiny spandex like stuff. Shiny was much more comfortable. You'd see guys split out practice pants but I don't think I've ever seen a pair of game pants split out.

i go through at least 5 pairs of practice pants every year because they split out in the crotch