Does your favorite NFL team need a new uniform, like ASAP? There are going to be a ton of interesting uniform changes around the NFL starting in 2023 thanks to the NFL implementing a new rule that teams will be allowed to wear multiple helmets throughout the season. Previously, teams were only allowed to wear one helmet throughout the season, meaning the most they could do was change the stickers on the helmets and perhaps wear some type of alternate uniform underneath.
Now that teams can wear multiple helmets, there will be a rush of fresh uniform adjustments made across the NFL that will make fans everywhere quite happy, even if you don’t root for specific teams.
Major NFL uniform changes in the 2023 season
- Philadelphia Eagles: Bringing back the kelly green uniform
- Tennessee Titans: Wearing Houston Oilers throwbacks
- Denver Broncos: Getting alternate white helmet
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Bringing back the creamsicle uniforms
- Seattle Seahawks: Wearing 90s throwback uniforms
Leading up to the 2023 NFL Draft, there will be plenty of uniform announcements around the league and while few teams are rebranding completely in 2023, there are plenty of teams in desperate need of a complete overhaul of their uniforms. Let’s rank the top four in need of a change.
1. Arizona Cardinals desperately need new uniforms…and they’re coming
We’re going to start with the Arizona Cardinals, a team that is actually getting new uniforms in 2023.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) April 12, 2023
There are plenty of terrible uniforms around the NFL. The Cardinals got a logo makeover back in 2005 to make the bird on their helmets look a little more fierce, but unfortunately for them, they’ve been in the same uniform since 2005 as well and these uniforms look like they were made in “create-a-team” on an early version of the Madden video games.
Although the Cardinals are in the right to be emphasizing their specific shade of red, their uniforms are bordering on monochromatic and are missing those slight yellow and blue pops of color they used to have in the 90s and early 2000s. Even if it was just a slight piece on the sleeve of the away uniforms, it was a pretty massive difference-maker.
The Cardinals made it a point to include that desert sky vibe in their teaser, so even if it’s just wishful thinking, perhaps we will see them go to a vastly different look than we’ve seen in the past. Their helmets don’t have to change at all. Having the white helmet with the fierce bird on the side is a great look, but the Cardinals do need to add that pop of yellow to the uniform and perhaps that blue as well.
Here’s one of the best concepts I came across on Twitter:
Arizona Cardinals Concept: Because this team has some of the worst uniforms in my opinion, I used mostly new designs for this project; switching up the color scheme, introducing a desert sand alternate, and using a triple stripe pattern. @fashion_nfl @NflIdeas #cardinals #NFL pic.twitter.com/a54uFZG0P2
— Moss Uniforms (@mossuniforms) June 18, 2022
These would be a huge upgrade for Arizona, and absolutely love the desert brown alternate idea. I would love to see a black uniform combination in this scheme as well. The Cardinals have such an opportunity to have some of the best uniforms in the NFL with their color combination, so hopefully we see something great in a couple of weeks when these are unveiled.
2. Tennessee Titans desperately need new uniforms
Whatever you decide makes a great NFL uniform, it’s completely subjective, of course. There are some people who absolutely love even the worst uniforms in the NFL, and there are some people who think the best uniforms in the NFL are the worst. Some people prefer different colors and color schemes. Some teams just have to make due with what they’ve got.
For my money, the Tennessee Titans have the best combination of colors maybe in the entire league. If not the best, they are certainly not on the second tier. That navy blue and Carolina blue color combination is already elite, and then you throw in the pop of red with the white and gray. When this team first became the Titans, their uniforms were on the cutting edge. Now?
Well, it looks like someone took a shot with the new uniform combination and it’s a flat-out miss. Tennessee’s home and away uniforms diminish the brilliance of the Carolina blue color that really needs to pop in their uniform combination. They have a horrendous use of the gray. They have almost completely ignored red in their uniforms.
The Titans might have possibly the most boring and lackluster uniforms in the entire league right now. Perhaps it’s because navy blue as a primary uniform feature has worn out its welcome in the NFL, and brighter colors are more “on-trend” for uniforms at the moment. Everyone loves a good throwback and the Titans recognize that, as they’re bringing back the Oilers uniforms in 2023.
Unfortunately for them, that’s going to be the most stark contrast between a team’s real uniform and its actual uniform for any team in the league. The Titans have been in these current uniforms for a few years now, so perhaps the team going to some alternate throwbacks will inspire them to modify their uniforms permanently.
3. Miami Dolphins need to go back to their retro uniforms STAT
Although it’s becoming a little bit overdone to just say that certain teams should go back to their retro uniforms, the Miami Dolphins are one specific instance in which it’s appropriate. There is no better throwback uniform in the entire NFL than the Miami Dolphins, call it a hot take if you want.
These are absolutely gorgeous.
dolphins throwback uniform appreciation post pic.twitter.com/egMYZGvehE
— bobby greasy (@soflojesus) May 19, 2020
These uniforms are simple, the right colors pop, the gray facemask works perfectly, the stripes are exactly what they need to be, and the throwback logo is iconic. Again, there’s not a better throwback uniform than this and whenever the Dolphins wear them, I always enjoy seeing it. They could wear these uniforms as their primaries, and then go back to their 2000s uniforms as alternates, another absolutely legendary and iconic NFL uniform:
Dolphins 90s-2000s uniforms were the pinnacle of NFL aesthetics. Fight me. pic.twitter.com/w6XOBWd576
— Rendezvous With Destiny (@Derek_esq) October 20, 2022
How have the Dolphins not decided this on their own? This feels pretty self-explanatory and it feels like Miami could be in the best all-around uniform situation in the entire league if they would make these changes. Instead, they are stuck wearing a really average version of their own colors and overall scheme, a look that is meant to be modern and it simply falls flat.
4. Denver Broncos need new uniforms
The Denver Broncos got new uniforms before the 1997 NFL season and they promptly won two straight Super Bowls in them. These uniforms the Broncos currently wear have been the uniforms in which most of the franchise’s best memories have happened in.
The Broncos decided to switch to wearing primarily an orange top as their home uniform since the 2012 season when Peyton Manning came to Denver. Fans had been clamoring for the orange tops — previously just an alternate — to be the team’s primary home top for years because orange is what the Denver Broncos are known for.
To be very clear, the Denver Broncos’ logo and uniforms are both very good. They are iconic, and have been copied by many high school and college teams through the years. You can also see the inspiration the Broncos’ uniforms gave so many other teams around different levels of football through the years, but the reality is, this uniform has had its time. It’s an iconic uniform that needs to be archived.
Many fans love the Denver Broncos’ “color rush” uniform which is seemingly getting an update in 2023 as well with a white helmet. Will the Broncos finally debut an all white color rush uniform?
best guess of the White helmet and Color Rush uniform the Broncos will be wearing in 2023 pic.twitter.com/SwIGWBToZU
— T (@TimContic) April 4, 2023
If the Broncos put these uniforms on, the fans of Broncos Country would go absolutely nuts. These uniforms would rival many of the best in the NFL. Of course, eventually, the Broncos will need to figure out how to implement this classic look with some kind of long-term look. Fans of the team seem to agree that the Broncos should do some type of throwback inspiration with their eventual uniform change, but it would be a mistake to regress from their current logo and go back to one that is classic, but also not great.
New team president Damani Leech seems to hear the fans and I think we will eventually see a combination of old and new for the Broncos, perhaps getting a preview with this year’s alternate white color rush uniforms.
But there is nothing better than this option on the table currently:
https://twitter.com/Mr_Boggins/status/1626407101135482886?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1626407101135482886%7Ctwgr%5E3fd32c9c113f760c493f211c4beb7b19616c6f7b%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fbroncoswire.usatoday.com%2F2023%2F02%2F23%2Fdenver-broncos-new-uniform-concept-2024-season%2F
The sky blue helmets with the orange numbers have never been done before with the Broncos. That is an incredible look and would allow the Broncos to keep the orange as part of their identity, home and away. The blue is a necessity, but there is no question that it is a secondary color for this team. They made it a primary color for 15 years before changing it back to orange in 2012.
It’s now time for that sky blue to make an appearance again in Denver and hopefully we do see it on this year’s version of the color rush. Something like this uniform with a white helmet would go a long way in Broncos Country.