The NFL has relaxed the one helmet rule and the announcements of new helmets and throwback jerseys are pouring in. This year will see the debut of many new designs for teams. Some are throwbacks to historic teams while others are new modern color schemes. Whatever teams decide to go with, this is a good move by the NFL. Different jerseys and helmets are fun and sports should have an element of fun in them. The Green Bay Packers are one of the NFL’s most historic franchises and yet, their alternate uniforms fall far behind the rest. The Packers need better alternate uniforms.
The Good
Okay I’ll give credit to one of the Packers’ alternate uniforms being at least good. The throwback 50s classic uniforms really pop on the field. The all green jerseys with the gold lettering look sharp and the all gold helmet works well with the jersey. This is a jersey that I could see fans getting excited about and wanting to buy. While this is good, it isn’t great. The helmet is plain. I get it. The Packers are known for the green and gold but would it hurt to throw some type of logo on there? There has to be a way to make the ensemble a little more fun. However, these uniforms look amazing compared to the next two alternate uniforms for the Packers.
The Bad
History is great. Celebrating the history of a well storied franchise is amazing and should be done by teams. The Packers need to find a better way to celebrate history. The all gold helmet stays which is fine but it is traded for the navy blue and gold jerseys. There is one variation that is looks like their normal jersey except with navy blue instead of green. The other variation is all navy with a yellow circle right in the middle with the player’s number. I have never been enamored with this look and seeing the Packers in something other than the green and gold, even if celebrating history, feels wrong.
The Ugly
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The worst offender for the Packers has to be the navy and gold jerseys but with brown helmets. That’s right. All brown. Again, I know, history but it’s not even a cool brown. It’s a sad brown that looks like sewage waste. It doesn’t look fun. It looks like a 3 year old was asked to pick three colors for the team to wear from a 100 crayon box and they just went with the first three colors to be picked. Here’s the thing that gets me. Celebrating history doesn’t have to be boring. Look at the Steelers. Their “bumblebee jerseys” are awful but man are they fun. The Packers have to have some type of more interesting historic uniform out there and one that does not involve brown helmets.
What I’d Like to See
I’d like to see something awesome and out of left field come to the Packers uniforms. Here’s my thought. Take a page out of Rashan Gary’s book and put cheese on everything. Take that gold helmet and make it a piece of cheese. You could stop there and pair them with the throwback 1950s jerseys mentioned above but why stop there? Cheese jerseys? You better bet I’m buying one of those. Gloves? Cleats? Mouth guards? Yes, yes and yes. I think this would be a collection that the fans would embrace and would be a ton of fun.
Whatever they decide to do, it is clear that the Packers need better alternate uniforms. While my cheese idea may be a little out there, I believe that the Packers organization can make a uniform combination that celebrates history while also exciting the modern fan.
