Patriots uniforms: Ranking all 9 combinations in team history
The New England Patriots have been blessed with one of the best color schemes a professional sports team can ask for: red, white and blue (and silver, since the turn of the century). Some eras have made better use of these colors than others, however. Today, we’re going to rank the nine uniform combinations the Patriots have sported in franchise history.
There have been variations of each uniform, although most are minor enough for us to leave out. For example, just because the Patriots wore a patch on their jersey one year and or added a stripe another year doesn’t mean there are separate categories in this article. What you see listed are roughly the nine uniform combinations the Patriots have worn since their inception in 1960.
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The three eras of Patriots uniforms are separated as such: Pat the Patriot (1960-1992), Oversized Flying Elvis (1993-1999) and the Modern Flying Elvis (2000-present).
Note that due to agreements with USA TODAY Sports, we cannot provide pictures older years. So just follow the hyperlinks provided to get a visual of the uniform.
Alright, let’s get to it.
Next: 9. Flying Elvis / white-on-silver
9. Flying Elvis white-on-silver
Where does one even start? First of all, there are too many Flying Elvis heads in view. He’s on both sides of the helmet and both shoulders. In addition, Elvis is positioned way too close to the neck. Within about one and half square feet, there are four Flying Elvis heads vying for your attention. Too much.
Oh, and the Flying Elvis on the shoulders is way out of proportion. Just look at it. Elvis is huge, much bigger than his portrayal on the helmet.
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And then there’s the numbers, which are at a slant for some reason.
The reason the white-on-silver gets placed behind its blue counterpart is because white and silver already look so similar. This uniform honestly looks like the team washed the jerseys but not the pants. Only the Oakland Raiders can pull off the white-on-silver look, and it’s because it’s their look.
Next: 8. Flying Elvis / blue-on-silver
8. Flying Elvis blue-on-silver
Here is Drew Bledsoe dropping back to pass wearing this ugly jersey.
The blue jersey gets ranked over the silver jersey because the uniform deserves some respect for being the first blue jersey in Patriots history. It’s a bold move to wear a new color for the first time in 33 years, which the Patriots did when Bledsoe trotted out onto the field for his first NFL game in 1993.
But this is still a pretty bad uniform. As you can see here, there’s even a faded American flag pattern printed on the front of the jersey, which is also a bit much.
Put the flag pattern together with the slanted numbers, Flying Elvis abundance and the odd shade of blue, and you have the second-worst uniform combination in Patriots history. Thankfully, the team moved on from this undesirable set before Tom Brady joined the team. Had the Patriots not changed their wardrobe, Brady might have ended up selling insurance after all.
Next: 7. Modern blue-on-blue
7. Modern blue-on-blue
Here is Tom Brady in this jersey against the Green Bay Packers, and here is Tedy Bruschi decked out in blue from head to toe against the Broncos.
Thankfully, the Patriots only wore these eyesores twice, and only in the forgettable 2002 season. The first time was in Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers, a 28-10 shellacking in which Brady threw three picks. Two weeks later, after their bye, the Patriots lost to the Broncos 24-16 wearing these all-blues.
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Both games were at home, and the two losses were the last in the Patriots’ midseason four-game losing streak that year. Now you see why they haven’t been worn since.
The problem is there’s just too much navy blue. The blue-on-blue gives off a pillowcase look, and pillowcases don’t win football games.
Next: 6. Modern white-on-blue
6. Modern white-on-blue
I don’t have any major tiffs with this uniform combination, but the top-down progression of the silver helmet, white jersey and blue pants isn’t the best look. Almost always, the Patriots’ opponent looks better when these are worn.
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Since I already criticized the Patriots for wearing white-on-silver in the 1990s, I can’t recommend that they ditch the navy pants for silver. But, I will say that an all-white look with the current uniform set would be interesting.
Maybe I’m not a huge fan of these jerseys because the Patriots often lose playoff games in them (with the obvious exceptions of Super Bowl XXXIX and XLIX, of course). For instance, Brady has played three playoff games in Denver over the course of his career wearing white-on-blue, and he has lost all of them.
Next: 5. Modern silver-on-blue
5. Modern silver-on-blue
Here is Tedy Bruschi celebrating a pick-six wearing silver, and here is Brady chatting pre-game with his old offensive coordinator.
You may remember that for a spell in the mid-2000s, the Patriots sported one of the best alternate uniforms in the league, their silver-on-blue look.
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These duds debuted in Week 11 of 2003 against the Dallas Cowboys, and they were used only five more times: later that year against the Miami Dolphins, in 2004 against the Cincinnati Bengals, 2005 against the San Diego Chargers, 2006 against the Houston Texans and 2007 against the Buffalo Bills.
Why Nike and the Patriots haven’t brought these back into operation is beyond me. They present a subtle yet clear point of differentiation; only the Seattle Seahawks wear gray. But these weren’t gray, they were silver. There’s a difference. The Patriots’ helmets aren’t gray, they are silver. Well, so were these jerseys.
Bring them back!
Next: 4. Pat the Patriot all-white
4. Pat the Patriot All-White
Here is Brady commanding the huddle wearing these sharp throwbacks.
There are few looks better in sports than all-white. When the Patriots wore Pat the Patriot on their helmet, white jerseys and white pants with simple red and blue trim, they were the best-looking team in the NFL.
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There is a beauty in simplicity, and the Patriots nailed it. This is why I sometimes wonder what an all-white uniform combination would look like in their current scheme.
The only problem I have with these uniforms is the gray facemask. Remember, this was a time before silver/gray was part of the Patriots’ color scheme. Why gray? Just keep it white. Keep everything white.
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Next: 3. Pat the Patriot white-on-red
3. Pat the Patriot white-on-red
Here is Andre Tippett pre-snap wearing this awesome uniform.
Perhaps the only thing better in sports than all-white is predominantly white with tasteful use of color. This jersey is the epitome of that.
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The white jersey and the white helmet complement the red pants perfectly. Red is a bold color, so a sufficient amount of white is needed to balance out its noise. These uniforms do a great job of that.
Again, red is a tricky color. Some teams don’t do a good job with it (I’m talking to you, Atlanta). But the Patriots of the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s used red the way it’s supposed to be used—with enough white to make it work.
Next: 2. Modern blue-on-silver
2. Modern blue-on-silver
The crown jewel of the Patriots’ wardrobe since they ditched Pat the Patriot in 1993, the modern blue-on-silver look drips with fond memories. After all, the Pats won their first Super Bowl wearing these.
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It should also be noted that the Patriots first wore these when Brady joined the team in 2000, and they were being worn when he replaced Bledsoe in the lineup on the day that Mo Lewis knocked out the long-time starter. In other words, the blue-on-silver look characterizes the Brady-led success of the Patriots in this century.
Of course, these uniforms have seen their fair share of disappointments, like both of the Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants. But on the whole, these uniforms are as Patriots as it gets.
As long as I’m alive, these had better be the Patriots’ home uniform.
Next: Pat the Patriot red-on-white
1. Pat the Patriot red-on-white
Here is John Hannah wearing the best uniform in Patriots history.
That’s perfection right there. Not only are the Pat the Patriot red-on-white uniforms the best in franchise, but they have to be considered in the top-five uniforms of all-time.
Yes, these were the duds that Steve Grogan wore while the 1985 Bears pummeled him in Super Bowl XX. But they’re still the best uniform the Patriots have ever worn.
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The symmetry of the stripes on the helmet, pants and jersey are impeccable. Plus, the sandwiching of the red jersey in-between the white helmet and the white pants works very well.
It’s too bad the NFL outlawed throwback helmets a few years ago, ending the era of fun throwback Sundays. The Patriots kept the throwback reds in action through Brady’s career up until the NFL’s ruling.
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So there you have it, the nine uniforms in Patriots history ranked from worst to first.