Why the new Jaguars uniforms are actually good and not bad

Well the Jacksonville Jaguars have new uniforms again and, buddy, let me tell you there’s a lot they got right this time around. Your resident sports graphic designer/critiquer @MadeByTim is here to give you some takes on the new look.

Let’s dig in!

The good

Welcome to a bold look that finally matches the bold identity of the franchise.

It’s finally a solid color and WHOA back to being all-black. The half-gold helmullett is dead, and not a day too soon. God, yes, thank you, Lord. The gloss finish is a great nod to the original Jaguars helmets and ties very well with the current uniform aesthetic. The teal bumpers and numbers send it over the edge to near perfect. Flat matte might have been a popular choice for fans here, but 10 years from now would look like Fred Durst’s red Yankees hat. Flat matte is a trend folks.

The teal is the Jaguars’ identity in the NFL. Other teams share black and gold, countless others are some variation of red, white and blue. Teal is unique. It sets us apart. There was a worry by fans in recent years teal was going away, but the team has re-committed to keeping teal a prominent factor in the uniform and it’s a great move.

You think the numbers are plain? No. They’re clean, legible, contrasting and strong. Compare this number system with any legacy NFL team uniform and they’ll fit right in. The font is utilitarian and sturdy, which is what a jersey number should be. (See: Titans and Buccaneers for awful over-designed trash.)

As far as the accents, would I have liked to have seen larger accents on the jersey? Broader swoops and stripes? Perhaps, but that’s not what this uniform system is about. The color combinations are bold, solid and strong. Adding jersey panels, flares, design elements, etc... just because “you can” doesn’t make things better. This is a case of less is more. I get it and support the direction.

The okay

These details wouldn’t make or break the uniform, but here’s some justification for and against them anyway.

As far as teal (yes, it’s on here twice) there is a negative critique about teal usage, and that is not making teal the primary jersey. I can live with black as the primary and teal for big/high profile games, but would rather those be flipped. The other thing I’ll mention here that actually does help the teal being the “alternate” jersey, it opens the door for throwbacks to be incorporated down the road.

The 25th anniversary is 2019 for those keeping track. *cough*

The “JAGS” shield is gone, replaced by just the primary logo jaguar head. If I’m being 100 percent honest the shield was similar to the two-toned helmet. It was a pretty cool idea, but the execution and usage was always a bit on the awkward side. Most of the time the jag head in the shield faced right, except on the unis where it face left… the details on the fur got lost in embroidery because the head had to be 50% smaller to fit inside the shield… there were usage issues in UK marketing… and more.

The list goes on. While it was without a doubt cool, for this clean look it needed the boot off the uniform. I put this move under “okay” because I’m not super enthused by the logo on the chest anyway, but it’s fine.

More of a personal preference, I might have opted for a single or double stripe down the length of the pant leg. Then again, the Jags have over decade of precedence with little to no pant striping. Cool without it, particularly in this set.

The gold is also gone. Drastic. Can’t say I’ll miss the gold trim and I sure as hell won’t miss the gold color rush. That said, the logo is now the only place *two* colors of gold are used. I don’t have a solution where/how it could be included, just a weird landing spot.

The bad

I really enjoyed the previous uniform (and the early Jaguars uniforms) using teal numbers on the white jerseys. I can understand the rationale to make them black and realize the jags had black numbers on white for many years. No justification other than it looks nice.

Is there anything else bad? I really don’t think so to be honest. These are instant classics, folks.

Overall

This iteration of the Jaguars uniform embraces all eras of the franchise. There are elements utilized from almost every uniform the Jags have worn, anyone who says they’re a departure from the past isn’t looking hard enough. These uniforms are capable of moving into the future while easily holding their own with classic NFL looks throughout league history.

Job well done, Jaguars.