Several notable things happened with NFL uniforms this off-season and this week, most were on display for the viewers. But did you notice them all? Allow us to run down the changes we know if and please feel free to tell us what we missed.
We will talk about each and every team in the NFL so look for your favorite!
This is about the NFC, following our previous article about the AFC.
NFC
North
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have an all-new uniform set, and a slightly tweaked logo. Barely tweaked, but certainly different.
The uniform design is pretty clean, not too outlandish. The shoulder/sleeve striping is normal from the front, then flares out towards the back.
The pants striping is asymetrical, to match the sleeves. Its quite a modern look without going too crazy. Approaching crazy is the helmet finish, which isn’t’ exactly flat, but sort of pearlescent. The real shame is that it doesn’t match the jerseys.
Chicago Bears
No word on any changes for the Bears. Which is probably a good thing, as football purists might revolt if there were.
Detroit Lions
Your author finds the Lions colors some of the best in sports, so no changes here is a giant relief.
UPDATE: Eagle-eyed readers Peter, Brian, and Nick brought it to our attention that there is a new endzone in Detroit, and there is a Detroit in the end zone!
Green Bay Packers
The Pack will again wear their packing warehouse throwbacks, in navy and gold.
East
Dallas Cowboys
Unfortunately, no one in the Cowboys organization has woken up and demanded that the style guide only have ONE color of silver. Quite a ridiculous tradition to have different blues and silvers.
New York Giants
New York is adding a pair of white pants, to be worn on two occasions in November, the 10th versus the Raiders and the 24th against the Cowboys.
All well and good, but our main issue here inside the Underground Sports Logos Bunker Command Center is the terrible away combination, with a blue helmet with red stripe and white logo, grey pants with red and blue stripes, and a white jersey with three stripes… all red.
Philadelphia Eagles
No changes in uniform other than the fact that you will never again see an Eagles number 5. Donovan McNabb’s jersey number is being retired at the September 19th game against the Chiefs.
Washington Redskins
The ‘skins were only afflicted with the miserable collar for half of their games last year, as only their white jerseys had it. For 2013, neither will.
South
Atlanta Falcons
With no uniform changes, the most professional franchise in the league does something professional, and announces their uniform schedule. Tragedy, however, in that the Falcons will not apparently be wearing their awesome throwback black jerseys with withe excellent red helmets with the gold stripe. Almost as tragic, every time they are scheduled to wear their white jerseys, they seem to intend to wear white pants as well. Quite a shame they insist on going with the ballet-school look when their black pants would look so great with the black helmets and white jerseys.
New Orleans Saints
Apparently the Saints are putting all of their attention into getting their head coach back from suspension, as they have no uniform news.
Carolina Panthers
Two blue games for the Panthers, who made public their jersey schedule. (Which, by the way, have to be turned in to the NFL before the season, so they might as well tell us fans)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Another refugee from the “I am wearing a dress shirt under my jersey” camp, the Buccaneers have rid themselves of the atrocity.
They also announced that they will go with their pumpkin jerseys September 29th against the Cardinals
West
Seattle Seahawks
Still their normal uniform set. Are we the only ones who are finding their uniform style to be growing on us? Except for that light grey. That just looks dirty.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers are leaving Candlestick Park after this season, but regrettably are not planning a uniform patch. They will, however go with a retro endzone design.
St. Louis Rams
While the Rams have rumors swirling about a wholesale redesign, this year they go with their standard uniforms, with the royal blue and yellow throwbacks to be worn Nov 3rd and Dec 22nd.
UPDATE: Thanks to readers Joe Stuhr and Trey Trent for pointing out that the Rams have a new end zone treatment.
And now the new:
The simple condensed helvetica-ish font looked familiar to us. We thought it might be the Brooklyn Nets font. So, we consulted our resident font guru Jim Pericotti from Jim Design and he confirmed that while similar, the Nets font is thinner, and that the St. Louis font appeared to actually be Helvetica Condensed, or heaven forbid, Impact.
Arizona Cardinals
We end our report on a whimper, as the Cardinals aren’t doing anything differently this year.
So, what did you see that you like? Can you BELIEVE that one team is wearing that one thing? Tell us what you think, and what we missed!
And check out our AFC Uniform 2013 Review