2013 NFL uniform/logo changes

[oldschoolvikings]

The way I remember the story (no inside stuff, just a basic IRRC), Nike originally intended the design to be mono navy at home and mono white on the road (see? Their evil plan to destroy football was in effect way back then ), but the Broncos (and the story goes, especially Elway) requested White pants to go with the home dark jersey. But I think all that happened well before preseason... no real "scrambling".

The Elway hating the mono part seems questionable at this point considering under his watch the Tebowroncos wore monochrome during their stretch run year before last.

[ADW77]

I remember for the longest time, the Broncos wouldn't wear the navy pants under Shanahan. I would assume they were in the style guide the entirety of the tenure, though. One Monday night game they re-introduced them against the Raiders, and the articles the following day said the equipment guys had to order the pants special in time for the game (which was mid-season I think).

That leads me to believe that, even though a set of pants might be in the style guide, not all would be produced in advance simply because they're in the style guide.

When the uniforms were designed, they were supposed to wear navy pants with the navy jersey. They wore the combo once in the preseason. Elway and others hated the navy pants. Nike had to scramble and make white pants for the navy jerseys.

That's really not true. IIRC Elway wore a navy jersey white pants the day the uniforms were first unveiled. The Broncos wore navy jerseys and white pants in their first preseason game in 1997 (vs Dolphins in Mexico City), then wore all navy two weeks later against New England.

They had multiple players model the uniforms. Neil Smith wore navy w/ white pants in March '97 during the unveiling. I cannot remember if there were three or four players there to model the uniforms. I do remember in middle school having a lengthy discussion about the new uniforms and seeing that picture over a hundred times.

[phutmasterflex]

August 17, 1997. The ONLY time John Elway ever went monochrome navy. I remember seeing that as a kid and it has stuck with me ever since.

[AgentColon]

Off topic: I miss bright colors.

[oldschoolvikings]

Off topic: I miss bright colors.

+1

That's NEVER off topic IMO

[dennisbergan]

The Elway hating the mono part seems questionable at this point considering under his watch the Tebowroncos wore monochrome during their stretch run year before last.

Probably because Elway was just the Team President and that his players and coaches have a lot more authority on what the team wears each week then some old guy in a suit does.

[29texan]

Off topic: I miss bright colors.

...eh.

I can't agree too much with that:

... limits. Gotta have some, ya know?

[Gothamite]

That's not at the limits; that was a gorgeous set and so much better than their bland, dreary regular uniform.

[BBTV]

The Elway hating the mono part seems questionable at this point considering under his watch the Tebowroncos wore monochrome during their stretch run year before last.

Probably because Elway was just the Team President and that his players and coaches have a lot more authority on what the team wears each week then some old guy in a suit does.

Pretty sure president outranks coach. This isn't college.

[IceCap]

Yeah. If Elway called up the coach and/or equipment manager and said "I don't want the team wearing the blue pants with the blue jerseys" then they wouldn't wear the blue pants with the blue jerseys. Simple as that.

[Lee Noire]

That Eagles throwback does look really nice there. It's bright but it has a nice balance of those bright colors.

[Gothamite]

Yeah. If Elway called up the coach and/or equipment manager and said "I don't want the team wearing the blue pants with the blue jerseys" then they wouldn't wear the blue pants with the blue jerseys. Simple as that.

And theoretically Elway could call up the coach and say "I want you to always run an option on 3rd down", but it's not going to happen. You hire people for the job, and let them do it.

[Eye]

Yeah. If Elway called up the coach and/or equipment manager and said "I don't want the team wearing the blue pants with the blue jerseys" then they wouldn't wear the blue pants with the blue jerseys. Simple as that.

And theoretically Elway could call up the coach and say "I want you to always run an option on 3rd down", but it's not going to happen. You hire people for the job, and let them do it.

Not exactly. Most people realize that anyone paying cares about the coach, so you are a lot less likely to tell him what to do. What fans care about the equipment manager? Not enough to care if anyone tells him what to do. And if you are above someone, why can't you tell them what to do if you want something done differently? That's how a business works.

[BBTV]

Yeah. If Elway called up the coach and/or equipment manager and said "I don't want the team wearing the blue pants with the blue jerseys" then they wouldn't wear the blue pants with the blue jerseys. Simple as that.

And theoretically Elway could call up the coach and say "I want you to always run an option on 3rd down", but it's not going to happen. You hire people for the job, and let them do it.

Correct, however the coach's job doesn't necessarily entail deciding what jerseys / pants to wear. If sales of the white jersey are low, and marketing wants to the team to wear white at home for a while to spike sales, then the team will be wearing white at home. The coach could "protest" if he feels that another outfit gives the team a competitive advantage (maybe they're on a willing steak in blue, so he doesn't want to mess with that), but at the pro level, the players are really just live-action models for merchandise.

[oldschoolvikings]

... limits. Gotta have some, ya know?

That's not at the limits; that was a gorgeous set and so much better than their bland, dreary regular uniform.

Agreed... I loved that throwback and could never understand why it got torched on here. Athletic gold over white (like the 50's Rams) is a great look. Also the Lions wore white and there was no trouble telling which team was which, so gold as a home jersey is not an issue, regardless of that common complaint.

[Harmening]

Off topic: I miss bright colors.

+1

That's NEVER off topic IMO

+2

I miss the old face masks as well.

[Gothamite]

Yeah. If Elway called up the coach and/or equipment manager and said "I don't want the team wearing the blue pants with the blue jerseys" then they wouldn't wear the blue pants with the blue jerseys. Simple as that.

And theoretically Elway could call up the coach and say "I want you to always run an option on 3rd down", but it's not going to happen. You hire people for the job, and let them do it.

Correct, however the coach's job doesn't necessarily entail deciding what jerseys / pants to wear.

Not necessarily, but sometimes the coach takes that under his purview. Wasn't it Joe Gibbs who recently decided what uniforms Washington was going to wear?

[seahawk9]

After all, these are the "Dark Ages" of pro football. Back in the day, when I starting following the NFL, you could instantly tell what teams were playing by the varity of brighter, different assorted colors all the teams had. Now days everyone wants to wear Navy Blue or Black and color monochrome uniform combos. Can't really tell the teams apart anymore. Miss the old bright colors of the Broncos, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Rams, Chargers, Oilers, etc.

[BBTV]

Yeah. If Elway called up the coach and/or equipment manager and said "I don't want the team wearing the blue pants with the blue jerseys" then they wouldn't wear the blue pants with the blue jerseys. Simple as that.

And theoretically Elway could call up the coach and say "I want you to always run an option on 3rd down", but it's not going to happen. You hire people for the job, and let them do it.

Correct, however the coach's job doesn't necessarily entail deciding what jerseys / pants to wear.

Not necessarily, but sometimes the coach takes that under his purview. Wasn't it Joe Gibbs who recently decided what uniforms Washington was going to wear?

Probably. Just saying that the front office can overrule any coaching decision re uniforms and can impose their own guidelines if they care to do so. I'm sure not all cared/care.

[ADW77]

After all, these are the "Dark Ages" of pro football. Back in the day, when I starting following the NFL, you could instantly tell what teams were playing by the varity of brighter, different assorted colors all the teams had. Now days everyone wants to wear Navy Blue or Black and color monochrome uniform combos. Can't really tell the teams apart anymore. Miss the old bright colors of the Broncos, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Rams, Chargers, Oilers, etc.

The Broncos wear orange as their primary now. The Titans wear the old Oilers columbia blue as their primary. The Chargers haven't worn a 'bright' color as their primary in like 30 years, at least. The Rams haven't used a non-alternate/throwback bright jersey in over 50 years.