Which Are The Worst Alternate Jerseys

Everybody loves football – despite the rise of concussion awareness and a seemingly endless list of players getting in trouble off the field, we all flock to stadiums (or our couches) to see our gridiron heroes suit up on NFL Sundays.

Of course, the uniforms they suit up in are almost as popular as the game itself. NFL jerseys are ubiquitous in everyday life; no longer just restricted to game-day apparel, walk through any mall or grocery store and you’re likely to spot at least a handful of die-hards sporting their team colors, even if their favorite player has long since been traded or retired.

For many teams, the uniform has become an iconic symbol of a franchise’s history. There’s just something about seeing that lone star on the Dallas Cowboys’ helmet, or the silver and black of the Oakland Raiders that calls back to the glory of years past.

Then there are the special “alternate” jerseys. In an attempt to create additional buzz – and merchandise sales – many franchises bring out these uniforms only once or twice a year. In some cases, like the San Diego Chargers’ powder blues, the results are so incredible that you wonder why they don’t just make these their full-time gear.

This is not about those times. As more and more teams feel the pressure to have unique alternates for marketing and sales, some of the ones that make it to the field are, shall we say, less successful. As much time and money is spent on market research, it’s really stunning that some third jerseys ever see the light of day. Some of the worst offenders of recent years have been retired, but there are still plenty that make you wonder who gave the go-ahead.


I’ve compiled ten of the worst alternate offenders in the 2013 season. Love any of these sets? Any that I missed? Leave your comments below and sound off.