Ranking the new NFL Rivalries uniforms by Nike
Photo Credit: NFL Fashion Advice
Following a lot of waiting and anticipation, the NFL Rivalries uniforms have arrived.
The National Football League and Nike released the first eight uniforms in the newly minted Rivalries series. Picture Major League Baseball’s City Connect uniforms or the National Basketball Association’s City Edition uniforms, but for the NFL. The series, which was introduced in April, will see eight teams from two divisions release special edition alternate uniforms each season until all 32 have been released.
The uniforms are meant to represent the team’s city, community, history, and fans. Each team will wear its Rivalries uniform once a season in a home divisional game. The uniforms will stay in a team’s rotation for four years.
The first batch of Rivalries uniforms was for the AFC East and NFC West, released on Thursday, August 28. The AFC South and NFC North will receive Rivalries uniforms in 2026, followed by the AFC West and NFC East in 2027, and the AFC North and NFC South in 2028.
This year’s Rivalries games are as follows (Team in bold will be wearing their Rivalries uniform):
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals (Thursday, September 25, 2025/Week 4)
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (Monday, September 29, 2025/Week 4)
New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills (Sunday, October 5, 2025/Week 5)
New York Jets at New England Patriots (Thursday, November 11, 2025/Week 11)
Seattle Seahawks at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday, November 16, 2025/Week 11)
Miami Dolphins at New York Jets (Sunday, December 7, 2025/Week 14)
Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks (Thursday, December 18, 2025/Week 16)
Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers (Sunday, January 4, 2026/Week 18)
With all the uniforms having been released, let’s rank them on looks and how they fit the Rivalries theme.
8. New York Jets - “Gotham City Football”
The “Gotham City Football” Rivalries uniform is a “nod to the team’s origins and the region it represents.” The uniform fits into the gritty, hazy, steamy, and smoky streets of New York City. The uniform is a dark “Empire Green” color with black, gray, and green accents and gothic font numbers. The most unique part of the uniform is the “iconic” New York City manhole pattern on the shoulder of the jersey, in the background of the jet logo on the chest, and on the helmet’s center stripe.
For me, the inspiration makes sense, but it doesn’t come out well on a uniform. The jersey gives off a more swampy or cloudy vibe, which isn’t appealing. Oddly, their jerseys are inspired by manhole coverings, with so many iconic buildings and landmarks throughout New York City’s five boroughs. Perhaps a nod to the Freedom Tower or Empire State Building, or honoring the FDNY or NYPD with the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terror attacks looming in 2026. With green and black jerseys already in their wardrobe, it feels like the Jets could have gone a different direction.
7. Los Angeles Rams - “Midnight Mode”
The “Midnight Mode” Rivalries uniform is inspired by the “unseen grind” that allows players to shine in the Los Angeles spotlight. “Work in the Dark. Earn the Spotlight” is the team’s motto for the uniform. The jersey is a “midnight navy” color with the team’s traditional blue and yellow serving as accents, especially on the shoulders. The full horn returns to the sleeve, and the uniform features a sleeve and pant strip pattern that resembles the unique roof of SoFi Stadium. The helmet combines “matte Midnight” and “glossy Sol” for a vibrant and sleek look.
For me, the uniform is very plain. It looks more black than what they describe as “Midnight Navy,” which doesn’t mesh well with the bright blue and yellow colors we see the Rams wear on their home and away jerseys. Many fans wanted a return to classic throwbacks that weren’t already in the Rams’ uniform arsenal or a nod to their playing days in St. Louis, with a darker blue and gold color scheme. Like New York, there are plenty of more iconic and unique landmarks or historical sites in LA that the Rams could have found inspiration from.
6. Miami Dolphins - “Dark Waters”
The “Dark Waters” Rivalries uniform represents the power and speed of dolphins in the water. The dark blue uniform is supported by the Dolphins’ distinguished aqua and orange colors as accents. Those bright colors are featured on the helmet and pant stripe, jersey numbers and names, and on the shoulders, with an “unmistakable” orange collar.
For me, the jersey is nice, the bright teal/aqua and orange looks better with a dark blue base than the yellow and blue of the Rams. There aren’t too many tacky mottos or reasons why the uniform or pieces of the uniform were chosen. You can clearly tell it’s a Dolphins jersey and represents the city with the colors and area code on the front of the helmet. However, the Dolphins missed a huge opportunity to follow the trend set by the Miami Heat and create “Miami Vice” uniforms. The Heat are known for their pink, blue, and black, bright City Edition uniforms that have become extremely popular amongst local and national fans. It feels like this Rivalries concept was the perfect time for the Dolphins to break out a “Miami Vice” uniform, but they went in a different direction, and maybe that was on purpose to differentiate themselves from the Heat and Miami Marlins, who also have a similar City Connect color scheme.
5. New England Patriots - “Nor’Easter”
The “Nor’Easter” Rivalries uniform is inspired by the “power” and “unpredictability” of the storms in the six New England states. The uniform also blends regional pride and maritime heritage. The jersey has a deep “Storm Blue” base with silver, red, and white mixed throughout the uniform. The six red stars on the collar represent each state in the New England region. The team introduced a new “NE” logo that is featured on the shoulder patch and draws inspiration from nautical lettering and compass points. The shoulder stripes have a slight netting pattern that honors the working harbors of the region. The uniform will be paired with a matte white helmet that represents the snowy and icy New England winters. Other little details are included to represent the history of the franchise.
For me, this is a clean jersey with a well-thought-out story behind it, one that represents the team, region, and fans. As the only team to represent an entire region, the Patriots and Nike did a great job tying in elements from all six states that boast the team’s most passionate fans. The creation of a new secondary logo for the Rivalries series tells me the Patriots weren’t afraid to take risks, and it fits well on the shoulder. I would have liked to see more of a design on the white pants since they are not the same color as the jersey. I can’t tell if I like the white helmet or not, and if it blends well with the light blue jersey.
4. San Francisco 49ers - “For the Faithful”
The “For the Faithful Rivalries uniform was made for the fans by the players. 49ers star tight end was a part of the design team and wanted to create something “fun” but “different.” The uniform is an all-black look with a first-of-its-kind midnight black helmet. The famous 49ers red and gold colors play big parts in making the uniform pop. What makes the jersey unique is the custom “Saloon” font inspired by the 49ers historic wordmark. The word “Faithful” is scripted on the chest to honor the passionate and loyal 49ers fan base across the globe. The 49ers stuck with their traditional striping on the sleeves to continue a long-standing tradition on all of their uniforms.
For me, this is one of the better all-black outfits in the league. The 49ers leaned into their fans without creating a far-fetched inspiration for the uniform. The 49ers stayed close to their roots by honoring legacy and tradition. While it is not an over-the-top uniform, like some in this series, it screams 49ers and what they represent. The black, red, and gold color scheme, especially with the red and gold “Saloon” font numbers, is perfect. This jersey is miles better than the last black alternate the 49ers had back during the Color Rush era. I would have liked to see them experiment with just the gold “SF” lettering logo on the helmet, which would have worked better than the main logo they use on all their helmets.
3. Seattle Seahawks - “High-Decibel Zone”
The “High-Decibel Zone” Rivalries uniform features a soundwave-inspired pattern to represent the sound and passion of one of the league’s loudest fan bases, the Th 12s. The pattern is displayed on the shoulders, upper chest, and as the pant stripe. The “Wolf Grey” jersey looks almost white but has pops of dark blue and “Iridescent Green.” The iridescent material reflects differently based on how the light hits it. “Iridescent Green” is used in the jersey numbers and on the helmet, which still includes the team’s iconic hawk head design. The Seahawks are the first team to use an iridescent color, creating a unique color-changing feel for the uniform. The 12s, the name of the loud and proud Seahawks fan base, is featured throughout the uniform, with a patch on the back collar and a pattern in the numbers.
For me, this uniform is a risk-taker, but the Seahawks will be reaping the rewards. There are a lot of cool elements to this jersey; if done wrong, it could have put them at the bottom of many rankings. The Seahawks, their fans, and the stadium have always been known for making the most noise in the league, and using that as inspiration for the uniform is why Rivalries was created. The color-changing elements are awesome, especially on the helmet, which should look great on the field. My only knock on the uniform would be that the 12s pattern in the numbers feels out of place, and it looks like an Oregon Ducks jersey.
2. Buffalo Bills - “Cold Front”
The “Cold Front” Rivalries jersey is a perfect representation of the snowy and icy conditions in Buffalo. Late in the season, the Bills are often playing in snow or have to have members of the Bills Mafia come volunteer their time to shovel snow off the field and seats in the stadium. The all-white uniform features blue and silver accents for a clean look. While the inspiration is simple, and there isn’t much to the jersey, the combination works so well. For a change, there is no red in a Bills jersey, but you can easily tell which team it is. The helmet and shoulder patch are what make this uniform unique. The white helmet features a metal flake finish with a frosty metallic Bill logo. The shoulder uses a cracked-ice texture featuring a shiny 3D chrome Bills logo.
For me, this uniform is a perfect representation of Buffalo. When I think of Buffalo, I think of cold weather, snow, the Bills, and Bills Mafia. This jersey captures all four. The chrome 3D shoulder patch is unique and one of the best elements on any of the newly-released uniforms. While it is a simple jersey, and it’s all white, there is nothing to complain about. I don’t mind the exclusion of red because it allows the other colors to stand out and do their job. The only reason they aren’t in the top spot is that they didn’t take as much of a risk as the team that took home the best Rivalries uniform.
1. Arizona Cardinals - “Built to Last”
The “Built to Last” Rivalries uniform the sand and dust storms of the desert climate in Arizona. The All-white uniform features a “Sandblasted” fabric throughout the jersey that is inspired by the desert sand and clay. The uniform is covered in the “Sandblasted” fabric, which embodies a flake-like texture. The red and copper accents, especially down the pants and on the helmet, are a nod to the extreme heat in the state. The jersey numbers use the same colors and have a shiny finish with large wingtip numbers. The helmet also features a “Sandblasted” finish with matte copper flakes and a re-colorized Cardinal logo. The shoulder patch, which is a big component of these Rivalries uniforms, is a chrome and copper version of the iconic Arizona state flag.
For me, this is the best jersey because of the unique inspiration, color scheme, and uniform design. The “Sandblasted” fabric and flake-like design throughout the uniform turn a plain white uniform into a piece of art. While many Rivalries uniforms have unique textures or patterns on their shoulders, the Cardinals used the whole jersey as a canvas for an awesome flake-like design. While it does remind me of the Oregon Ducks’ “Eggshell” uniform released in 2023, the colors are completely different, and the Cardinals’ inspiration is something only they can claim. The red and copper colors blend nicely together and provide the right amount of pop on a white uniform. The two-toned Cardinal logo makes the helmet one of the best in this series. Usually, the best is saved till last, but the Cardinals will be the first team to wear their Rivalries uniform this season.
