Return of the Red: New England's 'Pat Patriot' Uniforms Back in 2022
After 10 years of ceaseless clamoring and speculation, New England Patriots fans have finally got their wish: the throwback uniforms are back.
On Wednesday the Patriots social media team announced the return of the highly anticipated uniforms through a video referencing Back to the Future. Specific games in which the team will wear the uniform will be announced in the near future.
The team’s newest rendition of the old uniform includes a bright red jersey accompanied by white pants and a white helmet featuring the original Pat Patriot logo. The uniform keeps the three-stripe theme found in the team’s current home and away jerseys, which were officially adopted prior to the 2020 season.
This season will mark the first time that New England will wear its throwback red uniform and white helmet since 2012.
Despite being a fan favorite uniform, the team was unable to wear the threads due to the NFL’s prior “One Shell Rule”, a rule mandating the use of a single helmet shell throughout a season to reduce injury risk.
This rule affected multiple teams including the Patriots, whose iconic white shell helmets featuring the “Pat Patriot” logo have been a favorite of the fan base for quite some time.
However, with the NFL repealing the One Shell Rule in June of 2021, significant anticipation had been building for the return of the team’s throwback uniform and helmet.
The return of the uniforms was additionally hinted at by New England cornerback Jalen Mills, who posted an image of the white helmet.
With the team entering training camp July 27, there remains a lot for Patriots fans to be excited for — starting with the return of one of the beloved uniforms in Boston sports.
