First off, all the uniform templates are designed by wikipedia user JohnnySeoul so thanks to him for creating the backbones for this. Some uniforms that I didn't think needed changes are direct from his art on wikipedia, so all credit to him for giving me something to start with.
Now some uniform basics that are league wide:
1. I'd get rid of the free for all of alternate uniforms. Go with standard dark home and white away uniforms (aside from hot weather white at home exceptions). If we are going with alternates, I'd give each team a dark and white throwback option, and all teams wear throwbacks once a year on Thanksgiving. For a few teams I'd give them fauxback exceptions instead of true throwbacks.
2. Captain patches are gone, it was a nice idea, but its too clunky looking. Maybe a Captain C sticker on the back of the helmets?
3. No logos on the back collar of jerseys, that's a bad trend, if you want to put a maker's mark somewhere maybe put it there.
Arizona Cardinals:
While they’ve moved around quite a bit, from Chicago to St Louis and finally to Phoenix, they are one of the oldest franchises in the league, so enough with these crazy uniforms, I changed it up to something simple and traditional, using their stripe pattern from their St Louis years' white jersey, with a custom number font. Their white throwback is just going back to their start in Arizona, the original bird helmet logo with the state flag on the sleeves. The dark throwback goes to the 1925 championship season.
Atlanta Falcons:
I was a big fan of their original red helmet / black jersey style, so I switched back to that look from the late 1960s, but kept the current logo. Tried to match up the helmet and pants stripes in one design, and the sleeve and sock stripes in another. Going with red helmets full time makes the 1990s era black on black make good throwback alternates.
Baltimore Ravens:
They look pretty good now, my main change is with the pants, they currently play mix and match with black, purple, and white pants. Just set a standard with black pants all the time, with a stripe pattern, and contrasting purple socks. Also change the number to more of a block font, it is a little hard to read as is. They've pretty much always had the same look, so a white set almost-throwback tying back to their early seasons in Baltimore that featured the crest logo on the helmet, but using the current crest instead. Meanwhile going with an all black homage to the all whites of the 1970 champion Baltimore Colts.
Buffalo Bills:
I still identify the Bills with their red helmets from their glory days in the late 80s / early 90s. So that is the primary change here. Also dropped the logo from the back collar of the jersey just can’t be seen in these images, created a slightly customized font, and tried to make their stripe pattern uniform across the helmet, jersey, and pants. Going red helmets full time makes the white standing buffalo helmet even better as the throwback, also using the UCLA stripe design from the early 1960s to change things up a little more from the current jersey design. Keeping the modern buffalo on a white helmet for the blue throwback, the 1974 design when the modern logo first debuted.
Carolina Panthers:
After seeing the Panthers go with an all black look, which would make sense for a team called the Panthers, I considered it. If they were in any other place but Carolina I’d do the all black look, but you’ve got Carolina blue in there, it just looks great, so I made that the primary color, and ditched the silver completely. The jersey drops the logos and instead changes up their existing shoulder stripes to a traditional UCLA stripe design. The throwback is obvious, going with the original logo and design for both dark and white alternates.
Chicago Bears:
One of the few classics left in the league, only adding in a wordmark on the chest. Using their 1936 and 1941 designs as the alternates.
Cincinnati Bengals:
I hate the tiger stripes on the helmet. Before all of these crazy ugly uniforms came about, the tiger stripe helmet was the first crazy/ugly design out there. Plus they have a great tiger head logo they hardly use that would be perfect on the helmet. Not sure why they have black jerseys, the orange ones look much better. I can handle the tiger stripe sleeves and pants stripes, it’s an innovative way to incorporate their identity instead of a traditional stripe style. For their throwback options I went back to their original and classic tiger stripe helmet design.
Cleveland Browns:
Jerseys stay the same mostly as their classic design, just going with their rounder number font. Keeping the brown pants but adding in some stripes. Big change is the helmet adding in the brown uniform numbers. Still an old fashioned look, and emphasizing brown in favor of orange, since they are the Browns. Changing up the shade of orange to the older hue. Also, even though I wouldn't put it on the helmet, I'd make Brownie the Elf their official logo instead of just a helmet. For the throwback, their original uniform from 1946 with white helmets and drop shadow numbers, slightly updated with helmet stripes and a brown facemask. The dark alternate using orange pants and eliminating white from the jersey and helmet, with a standard block font.
Dallas Cowboys:
For one thing, I think they should start wearing their navy jerseys at home, I get the tradition, but hey they haven’t won a playoff game in how long? Might be time to ditch the white-at-home thing. Dropped the stars on the sleeves so their navy jersey matches the white, only difference being a small silver outline on the stripes. Their white jersey, well the problem is really all the different colors, the Cowboys are navy and silver, yet their white uniform features blue numbers, and bluish-silver pants. Just get all the colors fixed, go with navy (though a little lighter than the current shade) and a bluish silver on the helmet and pants for both sets and it works perfect. The white helmet designs from their first season are great for the throwback uniforms.
Denver Broncos:
Simple here, go back to something very similar to their classic 1980s orange crush design. Differences with the orange numbers on the road jersey, orange belt, new stripe pattern, and also an updated version of the D logo, based on a design from Football as Football. For the alternates I used their set from 1966 and though by no means good looking, the navy design is a Superbowl champion set.
Detroit Lions:
The recent update ditching the black is pretty good, just dropping the Lions workmark from the sleeve, and a few other minor tweaks. The plain blue and silver Thanksgiving throwback is a nice look, along with a blue helmet with a white jersey design they wore in the preseason in 1954.
Green Bay Packers:
Yet another timeless design, the green and yellow works perfectly. For the throwbacks the championship seasons of 1936 and 1944 work great.
Houston Texans:
Going with red jersey and navy helmet, as navy on navy is too similar to the Bears' look. Just using their red alternate as the primary. Switching to a red facemask on the helmet, and switching up the stripe pattern on the red road pants. As the newest franchise they don't have many options for a throwback. Their never used original white helmet with the navy jersey works well for a dark alternate. I figured the Titans could somehow share the Oilers history with Houston. The Texans could wear a modified version of the Houston Oilers' inaugural and AFL championship 1960 season set, but rather than an Oilers logo, a modified version of their new H logo, and their current number font.
Indianapolis Colts:
Nothing to change here, aside from adding a chest wordmark and going with blue facemasks, it’s a classic look. Though the ultra tight jersey design screws up the shoulder stripes, but what can you really do there? With such a consistent look, especially since they have been in Indianapolis, not many options for a throwback. The 1950s designs with the small back of the helmet horseshoes, both the white helmet with a blue jersey, and blue helmet with white jersey, work as their throwbacks. Different enough but still a classic style and obviously the Colts.
Jacksonville Jaguars:
I bounced around a few ideas, black and gold would work well, but New Orleans is already identified with that look. So I went with teal as their primary color rather than black, and gold as secondary. The gold helmet is biggest change, a chrome gold would be great. Kept the design pretty minimalist, dropping black altogether, aside from some trim. Also created an updated full body jaguar logo for the sleeves. For the throwback, the original logo and uniform design with their first black alternate jersey.
Kansas City Chiefs:
A classic look, no real changes needed, just adding a wordmark and moving a modified Lamar Hunt/AFL memorial to the sleeve. Another consistent team, even their days as the Dallas Texans look pretty much the same. I used the interlocking KC in white for the helmet logo for something different, and their original Dallas Texans home and away sets.
Las Vegas Raiders:
Like their rivals in Kansas City, the Raiders have an absolute classic already, no need to make changes, aside from the chest wordmark. For the throwback you have to go back to their first years in the early 1960s for something different than the silver and black classic. Sort of a mashup of styles from their first few years. I went with their first silver helmet and white jersey design from 1963, mixed in with a modified version of the white pants and stripped socks they wore that preseason, swapping out the gold trim for silver. Similarly the 1963 preseason black jersey but color swapping gold for silver and white, and paired with the silver helmet.
Los Angeles Rams:
I like their navy and gold design from the St Louis days, but think the old blue and yellow works better than navy and gold, so swap the colors and I think it’s a great look. The 1951 championship season yellow throwback with navy helmet is a good alternate look, as well as the 1960s white horn design.
Miami Dolphins:
I’d go back to their last 90's era logo, but dropping the navy elements, and using the 80's era aqua and orange. I really don’t have a problem with their current number font or emphasis on white in the uniform, so that’s reflected here. I’d also keep their previous wordmark over the new one, which is very bland, and return their helmet, sleeve, and pants stripe design to the previous look as well. Obviously going with undefeated 1972 season white throwbacks, even if they are pretty similar to the primary design. For the dark alternate using the 1973 championship season with the orange stripe socks.
Minnesota Vikings:
Their new uniforms in 2013 are a big upgrade over previous designs. I’d ditch the odd looking number fonts though, and make a few slight changes to the striping, but it still works. Throw in some yellow outlines for the numbers. Also make sure the purple in the helmets match the purple in the rest of the uniform, they always seem to have a problem with that. For the alternates going with the throwback dark and white uniforms from the purple people eater days of the 1970s.
New England Patriots:
I do like a lot about their current look, but the navy is so bland and boring. I'd go back to their old red jersey design, but keep the silver pants and helmet. And they are the Patriots, have to go red, white, and blue, instead of navy. Also modernize the collar and go with a similar number style to the Bledsoe era uniforms. For the throwbacks going to the classic Pat Patriot solid white look and you have to retain their dominant Brady era navy set as an alternate.
New Orleans Saints:
They already have a great look so long as they stick with the gold pants rather than the black ones. A little change up going back to their older style, swapping out the sleeve logo for some stripes, and making the pants stripes match the helmet. Also going back to the original, old shade of gold they had. Already going back to the old gold of the throwbacks, and they've had a fairly consistent design, so the white pants look from the 1975 season is the best choice for something different. The white alternate using a black helmet from the preseason of 1969 and both throwbacks add the Louisiana alternate logo as a chest patch.
New York Giants:
Pretty good look, but a few changes. For starters, ditching the NY wordmark on the chest in favor of the GIANTS wordmark. Secondly, the gray pants have to go, they just look dingy. Lastly, for a team who is called big blue, and clearly has blue as their primary color, why is their white/road jersey using solid red numbers and stripes? Switch that to blue and it looks much better. For their alternates I went with their 1938 and 1990 championship season looks.
New York Jets:
I tried mixing their logo and look from the 1960s with the winged version of the 1980s. Keeping the white helmet design, just going to a more standard sleeve stripe set but incorporating the jet fin into the stripe. A little lighter shade of green in there too. The Superbowl III design is the obvious choice for the throwback, and then the green helmet of the 1980s.
Philadelphia Eagles:
Always preferred the old kelly green, so going back to that but keeping a lot of the design elements of the modern look. Making silver much more prominent, also simplifying the numbers to old block style and updating the font. Now they look really good. Alternates throw back to their 2017 midnight green championship season as well as the all white design from the early 1970s.
Pittsburgh Steelers:
A great uniform, just a couple of minor things to fix; the jersey numbers need to go back to a traditional block font, and dump the chest patch logo in favor of a wordmark. The 1962 yellow helmet and white pants look is a good throwback, the year they first added the Steel logo to the helmet.
San Diego Chargers:
I'd keep the Chargers where they belong in San Diego, dump Spanos and I am sure between SDSU, and a possible soccer team you could have gotten am NFL stadium there. Going with powder blue full time, with the classic color blocked stripe with lightning on the shoulders, and color block for the lighting on the pants too. Keeping the original lighting bolt design rather than the new flatter version. For the throwbacks bringing in the yellow pants, ended up doing the 1967 design the first time they wore navy, and the navy and royal blue mix up that debuted in 1979 for the white throwback.
San Francisco 49ers:
Their switch back to the classic look a few years ago was almost perfect. Changes still needed, go with a red facemask instead of gray. Also bringing back the old school wordmark, but with some modernization. For the alternates, doing pretty close the 1994 75th season throwback look which was a mishmash since it kept the helmet at the time, rather than the full throwback that the 75th season look was actually based on. Figured the gold helmet keeps them looking like the Niners more than the red helmet with a full throwback, but ditching the logo and keeping a single red stripe to make it a color swap of the throwback design.
Seattle Seahawks:
Ditching the all navy look, going with the gray pants with both dark and light jerseys. Thought the logo and uniform could focus more on the bright green a little more, definitely distinctive. I'm not a fan of all the weird stripes they've got going on the chest, and especially not the word mark on side instead of the center, asymmetry in uniforms drives me nuts. So cut out all weird stripes, and go with a more traditional look, since their classic look was classic for a reason. The alternates an obvious choice to throwback to the classic blue and silver design from the 1980s and 1990s, and then using their 2013 championship season design.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers:
It was good that the Bucs pretty much returned to their Superbowl winning pewter design, but still not the best option. While I do really like the current colors, there is something about the old orange look they had that I just think is better for a warm weather Florida team. Really the 90s era design with the orange and white would work, but this design from Torch Creative is simply a perfect blend of both Bucs eras. So I used a slightly modified version of that as the primary. While the original creamsicles with Bucco Bruce are a nice throwback, they are very similar to the main design, so going with the original pewter look from their Superbowl XXXVII championship season.
Tennessee Titans:
Not a fan of the flaming part of the logo so I simplified to a nice circle. The last few years they had switched back and forth between light blue and navy as their primary, its sort of hard to tell which is their main color, so I'm going with navy. Tried to do something more traditional with their uniforms, basically modifying the design of the last set the Oilers wore, using the Titans color scheme. Same stripes design, etc from that set. Also really needed an updated wordmark. The all white version of their original look as the Titans as one alternate, and then their Tennessee Oilers design for the other.
Washington Commanders:
The Commanders isn't a great name, but something we'll eventually get used to. The uniforms and logo however, those are awful. I do like their idea of incorporating the Washington city flag into the design, so I worked the stripe pattern and three stars into their logo and uniform. So the W, stars, and stripes get worked into a military like roundel. Going with the yellow pants which seem popular amongst their fan base. No black for black sake either. For the alternates I used spearhead design from 1960's and the uniform they wore for all 3 of their Superbowls in the 1980's and 90's with the burgundy pants works here, only difference is it has a Commanders W logo in the style of the helmet logo from that era.
