Jaguars release new uniforms: best and worst new designs in the NFL (+video)

4.Miami Dolphins

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) waves as the Miami Dolphins unveil their new uniforms during an NFL football draft party, Thursday, April 25, 2013 in Miami. Also shown are former Miami Dolphins quarterbacks Bob Griese (12) and Dan Marino (13).
(Lynne Sladky/AP)

Unlike, say, the Jacksonville Jaguars' new uniforms, the 'Fins look wasn't changed much. But that didn't prevent a huge misstep: getting rid of one of the league's best logos. The old logo, of a peevish cartoon dolphin wearing a football helmet, was perfectly fun and on message: it said, "We are the Dolphins, we play tough football, and you will have a blast watching us." 

The new logo says, "We saw some tasteful dolphin-print wallpaper in our dentist's waiting room and thought it would look nice on our helmets." 

The Dolphins’ brass claims the new logo is better representative of a dolphin in the wild than the old one. 

Otherwise, the new uniforms are just a slight update of the old ones: the aqua and white color scheme remains intact, and orange, which was the Dolphins’ dominant color a few decades ago, is further de-emphasized. They aren't ugly; the colors go well together and are a good visual representation of South Florida. But there's no menacing edge to these uniforms. A print dress or a room done in Miami Dolphins colors would be perfectly tasteful, and that probably isn't a good sign. 

The redesigns are part of a five-year licensing deal with Nike, launched in April of last year. Before that, the NFL contract had been held by the Adidas-owned Reebok brand for the better part of a decade. During the launch last year, some estimated that the new deal would bring about $500 million in extra revenue to the league .

The NFL hasn’t revealed exactly how much it made in merchandise sales in 2012, but the league isn’t wanting for cash flow. The NFL made $9.5 billion last year, by far the most of any US sports league. (Major League Baseball came in second, with $7.5 billion).

Like most sports leagues, the bulk of the NFL’s money comes from TV contracts, but the merchandising doesn’t hurt. Last year, the San Francisco 49ers sold the most team gear. Then-rookie Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III had the best-selling individual jersey, and broke the record for most jerseys sold in a single season.

3.Minnesota Vikings

The team's new Nike football uniforms are modeled as part of the Minnesota Vikings unveiling their new uniforms at their annual draft party on Thursday, April 25, 2013.
(Minnesota Vikings/AP)

The Vikings didn’t mess with the helmet, which was wise; the horns are here to stay. Other than that, Minnesota stuck with a slightly updated version of the existing look. The one major change was the elimination of a vertical stripe panel up the jersey’s sides which, judging from a quick glance around the blogosphere, no one really like to begin with. The white and yellow stripes on the sleeves are smaller, and moved up a bit on the arm.

The changes to the Vikings' blond Norseman logo are only really apparent when the old and new are side by side: his horns are slightly more curled, and his braid is a little looser. 

How much does a NFL uniform cost? For the teams themselves, probably not much; the league offers exposure for Nike. For fans, an official NFL jersey will set you back about $100. Helmets vary widely in cost, but a regular adult-sized helmet from Riddell, the NFL’s supplier, will cost between $200 and $400.

2.Jacksonville Jaguars

If you're going to have uniform overhaul, really have a uniform overhaul, the Jaguars said. The First Coast cats get maximum points for effort and risk-taking, but the new uniforms could use a bit of editing.  

First, the good: The new logo, arguably the most important element, is a major improvement over the old one: sleeker, more menacing, and better resembling an actual jaguar. The new jerseys incorporate a small “Jags” patch on the front, which the creators say is a tribute to the Jacksonville area’s large military presence. The white home jerseys look sharp; I like that they salvaged at least some of the Jags’ formerly signature teal in the numbering (and the Jag mascot’s teal tongue).

The bad: The sleeves on all three jerseys (home white, away black, and the teal alternate) are different colors than the rest of the jersey – so the white jerseys have black sleeves, the black have teal sleeves, and the teal have black sleeves. The effect is blocky and a little reminiscent of scuba gear, especially with the snug fit in that color palate.

The real problem, though, is the helmets. The new Jags headgear is two-toned: a black in the front that fades to gold in the back. According to the Jags organization, they are supposed to represent a jaguar coming out of the shadows and into the jungle to hunt. It’s daring, but it’s also ugly. There’s a slight possibility the helmets will look cool fading from black to gold in the sunlight during actual play, but I’d have to see it. 

1.Seattle Seahawks

NEW: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson warms up prior to the start of a game against the San Francisco 49ers last year in Seattle.
(Elaine Thompson/AP/File)

The Seahawks rolled out a drastic uniform redesign last spring, when Nike first obtained exclusive rights with the NFL. Major points for figuring out how to incorporate day-glo green in a sensible manner. There’s a lesson to be learned from the Seahawks: Day-glo green should be used sparingly, and solely with neutral colors (navy and gray, in this case).

The Seahawks also get high marks for committing to a complete overhaul, unlike the Dolphins or the Vikings. The only thing left over from their old look is the logo, and they were smart to keep it. The NFL, and sports in general, are overridden with predatory bird mascots, but the Seahawks logo is unique and nicely representative of their Pacific Northwest home.