Courtesy San Francisco 49ers
Four More NFL Teams That Should Turn to Throwback Unis
The San Francisco 49ers made a wise move on a day when the league’s owners made a foolish one. The Niners are ditching their all-black uniforms (for now) and going back to their 1994 white throwbacks as their alternates for this upcoming season.
The white jersey with red lettering and black shadowing is a classic look for one the league’s proudest franchises, and it got me to thinking: What other teams would do well to forget their current alternate/color rush uniforms and take the time machine back for a game or two?
Rob Leiter/Getty Images; Arthur Anderson/Getty Images
Seattle Seahawks. The neon unis are miserable—two decades from now kids at music festivals will be wearing the jerseys. They belong in an arena league. With the passing of former coach and Seahawks ring of honor inductee Chuck Knox earlier this month, Seattle would be wise to revert back to the blue tops and silver pants it wore in the mid-80s, and finally wear a uniform that matches the original 12 flag again.
Courtesy of Tennessee Titans; Focus On Sport/Getty Images
Tennessee Titans. The Titans got to keep all the Houston Oilers history even after Houston got another franchise, and Tennessee does a great job remembering the greats from before the team moved to Nashville. The Titans recently got a much-needed makeover with their uniforms, but I’d love to see that oil derrick back on the helmet for a home game.
Joe Robbins/Getty Images; Focus on Sport/Getty Images
Tampa Bay Buccaneers. For the last two on this list, we need the NFL to relax its one-helmet-only rule because the color schemes have changed so much that it would clash badly. We all agree the current Bucs jerseys have alarm-clock numbers, and the Super Bowl-era jerseys should stay in the early 2000s. We the people need the creamsicle uniforms with Bucco Bruce, but it will require the league allowing Tampa Bay to have white helmets in order to pull off the look as it should be.
Rich Schultz/Getty Images; Peter Brouillet/Getty Images
Philadelphia Eagles. C’mon, NFL. The Super Bowl champs should get a pass here. Just for one or two games, let us have the Kelly green Eagles again. (The Eagles green today doesn’t match that of yesteryear so, as with the Bucs, the uniform would clash badly with the helmet.) And once a night game in Kelly green is scheduled, city officials should go ahead and grease up the light poles.
(Note: I didn’t include teams like the Lions, Cowboys, Dolphins and Chargers. The former two should only wear their throwbacks on Thanksgiving, and the latter two have already incorporated their throwbacks into the season schedule. Have any other suggestions? Tweet them to me @jjones9)
Not getting this newsletter in your inbox yet?Join The MMQB’s Morning Huddle.
HOT READS
NOW ON THE MMQB: Conor Orr delivers a strong takedown of Roger Goodell’s weak moment. … Albert Breer takes you inside the meeting room in Atlanta where the policy was decided. … Jenny Vrentas goes to Puerto Rico to show the much-needed good five NFL players have done since last year’s hurricane ... and more.
WHAT YOU MAY HAVE MISSED: Shame on you if you did miss Peter King’s final MMQB mailbag, but here it is in case you did. … How the NFL’s targeting rule is ultimately good but will involve plenty of chaos to start the season. … How is Tom Brady only the 38th most popular athlete in the world? … and more.
PRESS COVERAGE
1. Yahoo Sports’ Charles Robinson reports the NFL used a polling firm last year to ask fans their feelings on whether Colin Kaepernick should be signed by an NFL team. Honestly, this entire section of The Morning Huddle could be links to anthem-related stories, but we’ll keep it at just one today.
2. O.K., I lied. Steve Kerr said the anthem policy is “idiotic but that’s how the NFL has conducted their business” before his Warriors played Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals in Houston.
3. Ryan Tannehill plans to wear a brace on his twice-injured knee this season, out of precaution. The Dolphins, with backups Brock Osweiler and David Fales, better hope this works out.
4. The details related to Richie Incognito’s recent involuntary psychiatric evaluation are troubling and involve Incognito allegedly believing he was participating in confidential work for the NSA. Kudos to the responding officer and let’s hope the recently retired Incognito gets better.
5. First-year Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks says the best 11 players will play (surprise!). Let’s see if that means Josh Rosen is the Week 1 starter over Sam Bradford.
6. 2017 second-round pick Curtis Samuel has been injured for most of his young career with the Carolina Panthers. The team is being patient with the speedy receiver, who it desperately needs.
7. Spencer Hall pens an ode to the shovel pass.
8. The Chargers are looking at all options at tight end now that Hunter Henry is on the shelf with an ACL tear. Might a reunion with Antonio Gates be in the future?
9.Jon Gruden and the Raiders traded for quarterback Christian Hackenberg; two years ago Gruden thought Hackenberg should be a first-round pick, though the QB didn’t materialized into even backup material with the Jets.
10. An update from Colts OTAs, where Indianapolis believes it has finally upgraded its offensive line enough to properly protect Andrew Luck (whenever he returns).
Have a story you think we should include in tomorrow’s Press Coverage?Let us know here.
THE KICKER
In the process of trying to satisfy all parties with its anthem policy, the person the NFL clearly wanted to satisfy the most was left unsatisfied. President Donald Trump finally got a W against the league, and he just couldn’t help himself from taking a bit of credit for it, too.
Question? Comment? Story idea? Let the team know at talkback@themmqb.com
