An edit featuring Zach Wilson shows off what a New York Jets throwback uniform could look like
Classic New York Jets uniforms are dominating the minds of Jets fans after team owner Woody Johnson potentially teased the return of a throwback look through his Twitter post on Thursday.
Since Johnson’s viral tweet, Jets-based uniform edits and mockups have been spreading like wildfire throughout social media.
Instagram user Joe McManus (@mcmanusdesign) put together some of the best concepts the internet has to offer.
McManus shared two edits of quarterback Zach Wilson: one featuring Wilson in the “Sack Exchange” era uniform that the Jets donned from 1978-89, and another featuring Wilson in the uniform introduced by Bill Parcells that the Jets wore from 1998-2018.
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Personally, I’m partial to the Jets’ current uniform set, but I have to admit that these looks are sleek – particularly the ’80s look.
Though Zach makes it look good in the edit above, I can go a few more years without seeing the hunter green uniform again. The design did not transition well from the Reebok era to the Nike era after the latter began producing the NFL’s uniforms in 2012.
Nike significantly dulled the shade of green, and more importantly, the jerseys lost their trademark shine and luster that made them look awesome during their Reebok stint. Plus, the helmets had a tendency to feature a slightly yellowish tint, giving them a different shade of white than the jersey and pants.
The Jets' previous uniform set was great when Reebok was making the uniforms but they turned very very bland once Nike started making them in 2012 pic.twitter.com/nIjdtvlIH9
— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) April 9, 2022
Maybe the most important part of the #Jets uniform overhaul? Shooting these yellow helmets into the sun. pic.twitter.com/LLCuSYGA85
— Michael Nania (@Michael_Nania) December 21, 2018
That ’80s look, though? It’s got a clean feel to it.
The kelly green steals the show. The green helmet with the classic ’80s logo, which invokes the feeling of a “Jet” more than any other logo the Jets have had, is a winner. The white ring around the collar gives off an old-school vibe, as does the white facemask.
I wouldn’t mind at all if the Jets decided to make their ’80s throwbacks a part of their yearly rotation, similar to how the 49ers have frequently worn their ’90s throwbacks in recent seasons.
