Ranking the NFL Rivalry Game Kits

Recently, the Big 4 sports leagues have all taken their turns at experimenting with league-wide jersey initiatives that have all delivered some legendary uniforms in recent years. Through the NHL's now defunct "Reverse-Retro" program, we saw great sweaters that remixed classic looks like the Arizona Coyotes' Kachina Jerseys, the New York Rangers' "Lady Liberty" Jerseys, the New York Islanders' "Fisherman" Jerseys, the Anaheim Ducks "Mighty Ducks" Jerseys, and the Washington Capitals "Screaming Eagle" Jerseys among many others. The MLB tested their own "City Connect" jerseys, fielding some of the best kits in baseball history. Legendary jerseys took the field, including the Chicago White Sox's "Southside" Jerseys, the Tampa Bay Rays' "Devil Rays" Jerseys, the Houston Astros' "Space City" Jerseys, and the Arizona Diamondbacks' "2nd Serpientes" Jerseys, among many others from the catalog. Then there's the oldest of the bunch, the NBA "City Edition" jerseys, which have been a staple of the league since the 2017-18 season. Some classics have included the Chicago Bulls' 2020-21 Jerseys, the Miami Heat's "Miami Vice" Jerseys, the Phoenix Suns "The Valley" Jerseys, and the Denver Nuggets' "Rainbow Mountains" Jerseys. However, you may notice that there is one big omission from this list. This year marks the first time the NFL has experimented with a league-wide Jersey initiative since the mediocre success of the "Color Rush" era of the 2010s. With the new "Rivalry Collection", the NFL has announced new jerseys for teams in the AFC East and NFC West, with a pledge to spread league-wide in the coming seasons. As the new jerseys take the field this year, here is where I rank all of the new additions to the NFL jersey catalog.

8: Los Angeles Rams "Midnight Mode": So Frustratingly Close

When it comes to lists like this, I tend to rank the jersey that frustrates me the most below the objectively worse one. While I think the Dolphins jersey is a tad worse, the Rams infuriate me with this jersey because it was so, so close to greatness. While boring, the team going for a full "blackout" and replacing all of the blue would be a fun look for the team. Instead, we get this identity-crisis look. The blue stays with some of the gold, but the black is still prevalent and even gets a gradient along the shoulder patches. I really hope this jersey looks better on the field, because as is, the black and blue do not mesh well, especially around the number (which, I may add, has a font I don't love) and that ugly gradient. It's just a case of the team trying to have a wide color palette, but failing to pair colors that fit well together in that palette.

7: Miami Dolphins "Dark Waters": Set Up for Failure

Speaking of "having a wide palette, but not necessarily colors that fit well together", the Miami Dolphins didn't have the worst idea with this design, but good lord. The main problem with this jersey really just boils down to the orange. There were two directions the team could've gone, and both could've saved this jersey. The first was implementing more orange around the font, and overall just having more balance on the team's usual colors. The second (and the more consensus solution I've seen from online discourse), was simply omitting the orange for a more "deep sea" look. Overall, this was a combination doomed from the start, and don't even begin to mention that lazy, gross excuse for a logo.

6: New York Jets "Gotham City Football Club": Not For Me

I'll start this off by saying that I don't hate the green. I don't like it either. It's really such an odd shade that doesn't hit well for me. It's this militaristic green that early renders showed as black, and I honestly think that may have worked better despite several other teams opting for that same metric. The design itself isn't bad, if anything it's one of my favorite designs by pattern in the whole catalog, however the colors really drag this one down for me even if they play into their theming well. Much like how I predict the Jets will be this year, its a good jersey, but more of a "lowercase good" that only looks worse and worse as everything around it gets better and better.

5: Seattle Seahawks "High-Decibel Zone": Copied Homework

Before I tackle the elephant in the room, I'm going to sing the praises of this jersey, because it is one of my personal favorites in the collection. Seattle's fixation on "The 12th Man" is prevelant in this jersey to great affect, with the "12s" in the number font being a great touch. The iconic green and blue working together on the white jersey makes this a jersey I am excited to see on the field. That said, any football fan will recognize that "wing" pattern immediately. The Oregon Ducks have been leaders in the college jersey front for years, and it seems that the Washington team has taken a que from the Oregon school. While the unique aspects of this jersey carry it to this spot in the ranking, I can't in good concious bring this uniform any higher due to the blatantly obvious design-taking at hand with the Seahawks.

4: Buffalo Bills "Cold Front": Winter Wonderland

Buffalo is a shining example that limtting the color pallet doesn't mean a drab design. Several people have this as their favorite design in the collection, and they are well within their right to beleive that. The white and blue are an icy combination that really highlights the only two things notable about Buffalo: the snow and the Bills. I'm personally not as high on this jersey as others with the overall jersey patterning having a lack-luster implementation and the logo, while incredible, having a bit of a tacky design. That said, I can totally understand the appeal with this design, and it's more than worthy to be considered in the top half of these new NFL Rivalry Jerseys. Hopefully seeing it on field will sway me from cautious supporter to lifelong lover.

3: Arizona Cardinals "Built to Last": Diamond in the Rough

Phoenix is a city that I consider to be the "Mecca of Sports Design". Between the Suns, Diamondbacks, and the now defunct Coyotes, the city exhibitted next level branding and team design that reflected their city's culture and experimented in ways that made them appealing to sports fans across the country. Then there's the Cardinals. Their branding, much like their overall history, has been stagnant and underwhelming, and a true outlier in the city. This jersey however, goes a long way in crushing that narrative. The sand-colored jersey pairs brilliantly with the red and amber on display, and the state crest on the shoulder truly completes the set. That doesn't even begin to mention the recolored logo which looks amazing in this pastel-tan the team experiments with. While some people don't like the "sand texture", I personally adore it, and, for the first time ever, I'm excited for the Cardinals to take the field.

2: New England Patriots "Nor'Easter": Fit For a Patriot

Denim is an interesting color for sports jerseys, but when it is executed well, it works wonders. This jersey does a brillaint job of blending the traditional Patriots Red with this new toned-down palette of the denim blue, white, and off-navy, and creates a look that will certainly be a fan favorite. While some people aren't high on the number font, I personally think that it's a nice touch that doesn't bring down the jersey for me as much as it does for others, and the new alternate logo is up there for one of the best lettermarks in the NFL. Drake Maye has been said by many to be an underrated quarterback who deserves more eyes on him, and this jersey will surely bring lots of eyes to New England.

1: San Francisco 49ers "For The Faithful": Love Letter to the City

This. This is how you do a blackout jersey. San Francisco has experimented with black jerseys in the past, but none have been quite as magnificent as this one. The metallic gold accents around the numbers really through this one over the top for me, and even if 49ers fans still have a team reeling from injuries with a Super Bowl window swiftly closing, fans will at least be happy to be graced with such a magnificent jersey that incorperates so many pieces of the 49ers brand. A brilliant love letter to a city and its fans.