Looking Back: Review of the 2020 Nike NFL Uniforms

In early 2020, Nike and the NFL started to unveil the new uniforms and updates for 7 teams. When the uniforms were first released everyone automatically had an opinion of them including myself. However, it is very hard to judge a uniform until you have seen it in gameplay. Now that the 2020 regular season is over, I want to revisit the unveilings of each team and regrade them based on my initial thought and now that we have seen most of the combinations used on the field. 

On April 08, 2020, the Atlanta Falcons introduced the world to their new Nike uniforms by going back to black. It was a complete uniform redesign, except they kept the existing logo. When they were first introduced, I graded the uniform an F. Below is what I liked and disliked about the new uniform: 

Liked: 

• Throwback uniform

Disliked:

• Silver facemask with no silver anywhere else on the uniform 
• Atrocious ATL on the chest
• Same colored socks for the home and away set
• Gradient uniform 
• Matte helmet 

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniform is a D-. I now understand the ATL on the chest as that is how the residents of Atlanta refer to the city, still does not mean I like it. The uniform did look better on the field than in pictures, however, I will never be a fan of the same-colored socks as the pants and they wore the all-black and all-white combinations way too much for my taste. 

The uniform combinations that I thought looked good on the field of play were:

Week 13 vs the Saints, 

Week 15 vs the Buccaneers

Week 17 at the Buccaneers

On April 9, 2020, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers unveiled their new uniform redesign. The uniform was very similar to the previous uniform set worn from 1997-2013 and that is a great thing, especially after seeing the monstrosity that was on the field of play from 2014-2019. Initially I thought the Buccaneers had one of the best uniform unveilings ever (until the Chargers told them to hold their beer) as I gave the redesign a grade of an A. Below is what I liked and disliked about the new uniform: 

Liked: 

• No more digital alarm clock numbers
• Similar return to my favorite uniform of all-time
• Black facemask 
• Near pewter like pants with stripes 
• Red jersey 
• Pewter color rush uniform 

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniform is an A-. I thought I would like the Pewter color rush uniform, but maybe it was the matchups with them, but they were not great on the field. However, I still love this uniform update. 

 

The uniform combinations 

Week 9 vs Saints: 

On April 13, 2020, the Indianapolis Colts unveiled 5 updates to their current uniform design. I initially gave the updates a grade of B+ as I love all the updates except for leaving the facemask gray. 

1) Changed the number design on the uniform

2) Modified the horseshoe on the helmet

3) Added a new secondary logo

4) Added a new primary wordmark

5) Added a gray a primary color for the facemask. 

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniforrm updates is still a B+. 

On April 15, 2020, the Cleveland Browns corrected the mistakes made in their previous uniform (for the most part) and went back to a traditional uniform redesign, and kept existing logo. Initially the orange pants were not introduced, but they wore them on the field in week 2 and wore them a total of 6 times, 5 at home and 1 on the road. When the uniforms were first unveiled, I graded them a B. Below is what I liked and disliked about the new uniform: 

Liked:

• Traditional stripes on the jerseys
• Traditional stripes on the white pants and the orange stripes on the brown road pants
• Kept the brown facemask 

Disliked:

• The all-brown color rush alternate uniform
• No orange pants 

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniform is an A-. Since the team introduced the orange pants in week 2, they looked amazing the rest of the year on the field except for the week 4 at Dallas when they wore the awful color rush brown uniform. 

The uniform combinations that I thought looked good on the field of play were:

Week 1 at the Ravens: 

Week 8 vs the Raiders: 

Week 16 at the Jets:

On April 20, 2020, New England Patriots unveiled their new uniform redesign based on the color rush template used in prior years. The team kept existing logo. The team moved away from the silver pants even though there was a concept drawn up to use them. Initially I graded the new uniform a C because of I love the template but was not on board with the monochrome look for every home game. Below is what I liked and disliked about the new uniform: 

Liked: 

• New template with stripes

Disliked: 

• Lack of silver and/or white pants 

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniform is a C-. I still do not like the monochrome look at home and really hope the team introducing silver pants next year to the rotation. 

The uniform combinations that I thought looked good on the field of play were:

Week 4 at the Chiefs: 

On April 21, 2020, the Los Angeles Chargers unveiled their new uniform redesign, logo and wordmark. Initially I graded the uniform an A as I thought the Chargers hit a hail Mary with their new set. This new uniform brought a lot of the past into a modern uniform and looking back it might have been too much. Below is what I liked and disliked about the new uniform: 

Liked: 

• Kept yellow facemask 
• Added numbers to helmet 
• Added yellow pants
• Made powder blue the primary home jersey
• Royal blue color rush uniform 
• New Logo 

Disliked: 

• Navy color rush uniform

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniform is an A-. I did not like the navy color rush uniform, but outside of that I thought the team looked fantastic on the field. 

The uniform combinations that I thought looked good on the field of play were:

Week 4 at Buccaneers:

Week 10 at Dolphins: 

Week 15 at Raiders: 

Week 15 at Chiefs: 

On May 13, 2020, the Los Angeles Rams unveiled their complete uniform redesign including logos, wordmarks and color template. The unveiling was not good at all as the team went with a modern look that bombed as I graded the uniform a D. The only things that kept the grade from an F was the fact that I liked the new shade of blue that the team introduced, and the facemask was blue. Below is what I liked and disliked about the new uniform: 

Disliked: 

• Both new logos: I thought the Rams head and LA logos looked like clipart designs
• Gradient numbers
• Gradient stripes on the pants
• Gradient logo 
• Same colored socks as the pants 
• Bone colored away uniform 
• Lack of TV numbers on the home jersey
• Lack of uniformity in both the home and away jersey (the bone jersey had TV numbers while the home jersey did not) 
• Lack of uniformity in both the home and away pants (the bone pants have 1 yellow stripe, the yellow pants have a white and blue stripe, and the blue pants have a white to yellow gradient stripe) 
• The Los Angeles Rams nameplate on the bone jersey (which was white and stood out like a sore thumb)
• The whole uniform looked like a patch job of multiple uniforms thrown together. 

Now that the season is over, my grade for the uniform is an F. Even though I love the new shade of blue and the facemask is blue, I hated seeing this uniform on the field. 

The uniform combinations that I thought looked okay on the field of play were:

Week 4 vs the Giants: 

Week 15 vs Jets: 

Wildcard Round at the Seahawks: 

My final overall rankings of the new uniforms are:

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2. Cleveland Browns
3. Los Angeles Charges
4. Indianapolis Colts
5. New England Patriots
6. Atlanta Falcons
7. Los Angeles Rams

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