The Ten Worst Uniforms in Modern NFL History
Uniforms tell the story of a franchise.
Some are iconic, and represent great dynasties and past glory years for the team that dons them; one can almost see Troy Aikman or Roger Staubach dropping back to pass in the current Dallas uniforms, just like Pittsburgh fans can still imagine Terry Bradshaw launching touchdowns in Pittsburgh’s Black and Gold (Yellow? Something in between?). They are connections to the past, and are often celebrations of the best years for a team.
Not all uniforms are created equal, however, or are as lucky. Either due to a lack of success, or just because of their dreadful look, the following ten uniforms served as terrible representations of their franchise and their fans. Here’s to hoping we will never have to see them grace (disgrace?) the field again.
A Couple of Notes:
- The uniforms listed are all modern era, post-merger uniforms (1970-present), with an emphasis on more recent designs. It simply isn’t fair to judge a team’s uniform from 1955 by today’s standards, especially when there are so many awful examples around us today to pick from. And honestly, this list is littered with 21st century examples. Some crazy stuff has gone down with unis recently…
- A team’s history in the uniform does play a role. Nostalgia is strong, especially in sports. As such, even if I don’t necessarily love the Patriots kit outright, they will not appear on this list by virtue of their overwhelming success in their current duds.
- Throwback unis and short term, one off alternates are not going to be included either. This is to honor the modern era requirement, as well as to prevent harping on a uniform that is rarely ever seen in the NFL. As such, no mention of the “bumblebee” Steelers throwback, or whatever this was that the Broncos pulled out, will be mentioned.
Let’s get to it.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (1968–1980)
At first glance, nothing about these uniforms is really that bad. In fact, for a 70's kit they’re pretty good.
The issue, rather, is that they are about as close to an outright forgery as you can get in the NFL world. For your consideration, I present Exhibit A below:
That is not Pete Johnson running the ball against Dallas, that happens to be Jim Brown…of the Cleveland Browns.
Another Brown, Paul Brown, is the culprit for this obviously copycat uniform. Named in honor of their legendary coach and co-owner, Cleveland donned these classics for the better part of 50 years before their temporary dissolution in the late 90’s. When Brown left Cleveland in 1963 and founded his new team just down the road in Cincinnati 5 years later, he borrowed more from Cleveland than just his name. Cincinnati rocked the knock-off unis for 13 years before updating them to a new look more reminiscent of their current duds. Don’t worry; those will be making an appearance later.
9. Baltimore Ravens (1996)
Just…wow. These take bold to a whole new level.
The Ravens were surely going for a big impression during their first season in Baltimore, and these uniforms certainly did the trick by mixing massive numbers with bold shades of black, purple, gold and white. The logo is definitely attention grabbing, but absurdly gaudy on the side of that helmet. These unis were the 90’s at their best.
Thankfully for our collective eyeballs, the Ravens updated these uniforms after just one season, although it would take years to arrive at the current kit they use. While this specific incarnation of the Ravens uniforms lasted just one full year, their extreme in-your-face approach warrants recognition.
8. Carolina Panthers (1995-Present)
Carolina has made little changes to their uniform since their inaugural season in 1995, and it has begun to show. While never a top-shelf uniform to begin with, the past 25 years have not been kind to the current kit as more and more teams update their look each year.
Nothing on the uniforms are outright awful, but the all white look is starting to get old. Worn often at home, as well as on the road (although they have started playing with different combinations lately), they are just…boring. Blah may be a better descriptor. The simplistic blue stripes on the shoulders and pants are reminiscent of old-school, 70’s and 80’s football uniforms, while lacking the tradition of blue bloods such as Pittsburgh to pull it off effectively. The generic block numerals on the uniforms and the silver, not-quite-chrome helmet complete the most basic, perhaps most forgettable, uniform set in the league. Cool in 1997, not as cool in 2020. While not objectively bad, Carolina is in major need of a modern touch up.
7. Atlanta Falcons (2020 update)
Atlanta’s uniforms prior to the recent update were certainly in need of renovation, and could have earned a spot on this list themselves, but somehow the Falcons managed to get worse.
Criticisms flew after their release, with some fans likening them to XFL or collegiate uniforms, and the complaints are justified. The numbers are overwhelmingly huge, and in a strange font that eerily resembles those of the Oregon Ducks. The “ATL” isn’t terrible, but it’s a little large for the front of the jersey. The only redeeming factor here is the throwback set, which shouldn’t even count given that its a throwback, not their actual uniform, although it is solid. It should be their primary option. Opinions varied greatly on the red/black gradient option, although I think its the best of the group. The all-white and all-black options are far too color rush-like; Deion Jones is dangerously close to looking like Frosty the Snowman suited up for game day, while Ryan looks to be attending a funeral.
These definitely could have been worse as later uniforms on this list will demonstrate, but that’s a pretty hollow compliment.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (2004-Present)
Well, Cincinnati eventually got new uniforms after ripping off the Browns. The problem is, they got worse.
Going with the Bengal theme, Cincinnati had actually introduced the tiger stripe helmet in their first uniform renovation in 1981. But in 2004, apparently feeling they didn’t have enough tiger stripes on the uni, they added the tiger stripe down the side of the pants, with an updated jersey including bolder shoulder stripes along with an orange jersey option.
There is simply too much going on in this uniform with an overwhelming amount of tiger striping and excessive, unneeded detailing in the jersey, especially in the shoulders. A dialed back version of this look would be much better looking; the team’s color rush all white look from the past few years is a good template, with more subtle tiger striping on the uniform and limited use of the orange in the uniform. Until they decide to change, however, these will remain one of the worst put together uniforms in the league.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1997–2013, 2020 update)
This is another example of a “new uniform” that is really just a reboot from another era with minor changes. The Jets followed this example in the late 90's and throughout the 2000’s, until they recently updated their look. At least the Jets throwback attempt used decent uniforms. The Bucs didn’t.
Look, I realize they won a Super Bowl in these duds. They have some history. But despite that Super Bowl win, they didn’t exactly dominate the league during their first run in this unis from 1997–2013, so not a ton of legacy is really baked into the look. And if they were going to do a rehash of a throwback uniform, many would argue (including me) that they should have brought back the infamous “creamsicle” unis from their original look. Bold? Sure. But they were excessivly gaudy in an almost lovable way.
These are simply ugly. Pewter should never be a primary color on an NFL uniform, and certainly not next to what can best be described as “Arizona Cardinal” red. Past championship or not, these uniforms are a flop. The all white set is good and the all pewter is okay, but not okay enough to salvage the overall kit. It looks like Tampa will rock some of the ugliest unis in the league for yet another decade.
4. Buffalo Bills (2002–2010)
They’re bold. They’re different. But really, they’re just awful. And the fact that they were for the Bills makes it even worse considering the outfit they replaced.
For years the Bills had one of the cleanest, most iconic uniforms in the league. During the Jim Kelly years, Bills fans experienced a ton of heartbreak, but also a ton of excitement and plenty of elite level football. However, as the team entered the 2000's the success of 90’s didn’t follow. Perhaps nothing was more symbolic of that downturn than these uniforms, first introduced in 2002. Everything, from the awkward navy rectangular shoulder design to the weirdly different shade of blue in the numbers, just looked off. Its as if the franchise went through an identity crisis after the glory years ended. The Bills’ mediocrity carried throughout the decade, and they never made the postseason donning the new unis.
Wisely, the team ditched this look in 2011 for a more traditional one that continues on to the present. Just like the J.P. Losman years, these likely will be forgotten to history as a smudge in an otherwise proud team history.
3. Cleveland Browns (2015–2019)
Word to the wise; if ever tempted to spell your team’s name out on the side of your pants…DON’T.
The Browns took the bold step to renovate their classic format with this updated look starting in 2015. Meant to be a long term change that honored the teams past while ushering in a new, successful era of Browns football, these uniforms followed a period of time that saw the restarted Browns franchise flounder to losing season after losing season ever since 1999. The uniforms, however, served as a prelude to the darkest era of modern Browns football.
Johnny Manziel’s failed stint, Joe Thomas’ retirement along with losing most of their vaunted offensive line, and the massively disappointing 2019 season following an offseason of playoff hype all occurred in the 4 short years this uniform set existed. It didn’t help matters that the uniforms were so awfully designed. The shoulder stripes were too big and out of place, almost like air plane wings extending from the jersey. The added “CLEVELAND” wording in the center of the uniform was jarring and felt crammed in. And of course, the infamous “BROWNS” wording on the side of the pants that interrupted the partial vertical stripe. Yikes.
They finally decided to scrap the whole set, replacing the uniforms as soon as was allowed with a return to the classic look they had worn for most of their existence. It couldn’t have happened soon enough.
2. Jacksonville Jaguars (2013–2017)
We’ve gotten to the part of the list where almost nothing about the uniform is defensible. And goodness, do these fit that description.
These are cringe-inducing, almost bad enough to make you want to turn the channel when you see them live. Teal and black could conceivably work, just not here. But, of course, the real culprit was never the jersey, pants or socks. It was always those dreadful helmets, the first in NFL history to feature a two-toned look.
Simply put, there is a reason no team had thought of this idea before, and why none copied the Jaguars in their desperate reach for NFL attention/relevancy. It looked more like an elementary school class spray painted a helmet and slapped a sticker on it than the design of a professional football organization. If the rest of the uniform was salvageable, the helmet condemned it to permanent uniform infamy. Jacksonville mercifully ended the experiment in 2018, reverting back to their solid black helmet look and a much more simplistic, and massively upgraded, uniform design, but the horrors of this kit will remain as the weirdest attempt to set an NFL uni trend ever.
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2013–2019)
I would loved to have sat in on the meetings that resulted in these uniforms being selected. How often did they get sidetracked into small talk during the planning phase? Was designing a uniform ever even discussed, or did they just outsource that part to their children while they hung out in the office? Honestly, the latter suggestion may have turned out better than whatever these abominations are.
- Alarm clock-like numerals on the jersey,
- Pewter pants and helmets with hot rod red socks and jerseys,
- Weird pewter shoulder pads with a strange hint of orange trim.
The Bucs 2000's unis they were trying to honor weren’t great in their own right, as you may recall. But at least they were simplistic, and carried a little bit of nostalgia. These weren’t only jarringly ugly, but overwhelmingly busy at the same time. They failed to succeed wearing them as well, generating no playoff appearances during their lifetime. Here’s to hoping these never show up in throwback attempts or as inspiration for any future designs.
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