Kitwatch 2026 Emergency Broadcast: New Uniforms Edition
By Thomas Willoughby
Deion Sanders nailed it when he came out with “If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good, you play good. If you play good, they pay good.” 50% of not looking like a bozo in the NFL is wearing uniform that can mask your mistakes. In 2026, five teams have made the choice to unveil, what they believe to be, uniform sets to protect their idiots, and to create a new generation of good paid men.
As The Touchdown’s leading voice in fashion, I’ve taken it upon myself to cast the definitive voice over every new attempt. The good, the not so good, all will be covered. Let’s get critical.
5. Baltimore Ravens
I want to caveat everything I’m about to say by making it clear I do not hate these, by any stretch. In any other scenario, these would be lauded. There’s nothing overtly wrong with them. In fact, they’re very nice. I like the purple feathering on the collars, I think that’s a nice touch. I like how un-messy they are. That all-purple 4th uniform is a looker. Nothing wrong with them at all.
The problem, and the reason they’re bottom, is that they’re replacing one of the few uniforms I would call “perfect”, or close to. The Ravens haven’t really shaken up their general look since they became the Ravens in 1996, so I guess this latest iteration continues that tradition. But the only real obvious change to the design they’ve worn since 2012 is to the numbering. No more gold outline, no more shadow, just flat white and purple. It’s quite cool that the sleeve shields vary on the black and “purple rising” uniforms, but is that enough to really justify the change? It just feels like a change for the sake of it.
Chalk this down to being totally unnecessary. While it’s only an iteration on what came before, it’s an iteration for the worse. A step backwards, for my money. If I were a Ravens fan, I’d be disappointed. Quoth the Raven: “Never mind”.
4. Los Angeles Rams
Please welcome “In 1999, Japan redesigned its flag” the uniform. The Los Angeles Rams latest uniforms take what came last year and make a collection of small and subtle differences. Unlike in Baltimore, however, these are very much for the better. The Rams now have a more aligned wardrobe, and will look far better for it.
The one big change is the end of the gradient numbering that their previous home jersey had. Just a bizarre decision to think the number 9, for example, would look good going from yellow to white the further down the print you get. Solid yellow is in, baby. Gone, too, are the “Los Angeles Rams” tags that were stitched to the left shoulder of each jersey. They’ve also changed the “horn” design on the shoulders of the jerseys, to match how it looks on their black Rivalries uniform.
Most importantly, that garish bone-white alternate effort is gone. One of nature’s greatest mistakes, condemned to vintage and charity shops the world over. May it never darken our screens again. What’s interesting is that the Rams are keeping some new designs back. In their announcement, they teased an additional two uniforms, to be unveiled in the Summer. So I guess we’ll circle back to the Rams later in the year, when the next back of Rivalries uniforms are announced?
3. Washington Commanders
Now that’s the good stuff. The Commanders-era of Washington’s team has been largely fine to look at, but there’s always been an air of uncertainty to the threads they’ve donned. Yes, “COMMANDERS” has been stamped across their chests, but they’ve never felt permanent, for me. They’ve always been placeholders. At the first opportunity, the team has cast their most recent uniforms into the nearest bin, and replaced them with something far more in line with what the team is supposed to look like.
You just need to take a look through Washington’s uniform history to get this. Burgundy bodies with white and gold sleeve stripes has been a staple of the franchise for decades. Honestly this is near-identical to what they were wearing 10, even 15 years ago. And that’s fine. It’s good, even. Don’t mess with a classic. Last season’s white throwback design has been elevated to become a permanent away combination, too. These honour the franchise’s past looks perfectly.
But they do misstep on the new black alternate. No issues with the colour scheme whatsoever. The jersey itself might be my favourite from this latest batch. The new logo, however, attempts to tie their current form to their previous name and branding, with a spear threading their current “W”. Aside from looking a bit naff, it’s led to criticism from Native American groups for reinforcing negative connotations surrounding Native American culture.
So, yes, while I accept that the jerseys are very nice, you get docked a number of points for reopening conversation that should have ended the moment you became the Commanders. Looking forward to seeing the bad faith arguments return online, thanks a lot.
2. Atlanta Falcons
Oh no, my bias is showing. I was lukewarm on these when the curtain was pulled back. And not without reason. For one, I fully believe black is the Falcons’ colour, so reverting to red full time was a bit disappointing. They’re plain, too. I always felt the last set of uniforms were overly-hated, and I did like them, by and large. But, having enjoyed gorgeous mock-ups of potential uniform sets over the years, I was ready for a change. With that, these did come as a little bit of an anti-climax.
Luckily for me, the Falcons released an obscene amount of content regarding them, and I either came around, or Stockholm Syndrome-d myself, to liking them. Plain? That silver and black pant stripe is classy. Black is the Falcons colour? Red has been the Falcons primary colour for 35 of the teams 60 years, and 13 of their 17 winning seasons came wearing red. Every one of my problems has an answer.
And I’m a far bigger fan of the numbering than I thought I’d be. Block numbers just feel NFL, so for the Falcons to effectively take that template and their own flair (a small indentation on each digit), is the perfect way for the team to tie up their new look, while fixing one of the biggest issues with the previous jerseys. No longer will 1 and 7 be mistaken for each other by commentators.
The white jersey is beautiful, too, especially paired with the black bottoms. Those red numbers really make the ensemble pop. And, for the naysayers, the best uniform in the league, the black throwback, is remaining part of the rotation, so will likely see the field two or three times a year. A really good re-do. Well done all involved.
1. Tennessee Titans
There’s a whole conversation that needs to take place about these uniforms, and before we get into it, let’s just talk about them as they are. These are a clear, vast upgrade over what the Titans have been wearing for the past eight years. What we have is a modern riff on the team’s most recent throwback design.
Baby blue home jerseys, a “six string” (representing a guitar, given Nashville’s “Music City” moniker) shoulder design, block numbering, and a simplified logo. Gone is that “flaming T” from the moment they moved to Tennessee. The flame has been extinguished, and what remains is the shield and stars. It’s quite clean, I don’t hate it.
In all, what we’ve got is very nice, and very successful, rebranding for the Titans. That is, until you think about it for more than 5 seconds. See, baby blue isn’t a Titans colour. It’s a Houston Oilers colour. As I’m sure you know, the Oilers relocated to Nashville in the late 90s, and were effectively rejected by Nashville football fans, who wanted their own team. Hence the total rebrand to “The Tennessee Titans”. When the Houston Texans popped up in 2002, they, too, vetoed taking on the Oilers identity. While the Titans have leaned more into their Oilers heritage recently, adopting their baby blue alternates as the home option last season, it doesn’t change the fact that they’re doing so on borderline fraudulent grounds, which the excellent Sideline Archive brilliantly breaks down here:
Can you truly separate the product from the circumstance in which it was born? You know what, in this instance, I’m willing to. Because it’s really nice to look at, even if it isn’t very “Tennessee Titans”. Besides, you can’t, like, own a colour, man.
Featured Image Credit: Shawn Hubbard-Baltimore Ravens Photos
Thomas Willoughby
NFL ANALYST
THOMAS IS A WRITER, AND REGULAR GUEST ON THE TOUCHDOWN REVIEW SHOW PODCAST, FOR THE TOUCHDOWN. YOU CAN FIND HIM @WILLO290592 ON TWITTER