Will we see the Eagles use their kelly green and black jerseys in 2023?
Ask any fan of the Philadelphia Eagles what the best uniform in sports history is, and many of them are likely to name the 1980s Eagles’ kelly green jerseys, and understandably so. Some may go with the 1960s look or the early 90s ensemble, but you get the idea.
The mix of kelly green, white, and silver with that old-school Eagles logo is a look that is both a timeless classic and aesthetically pleasing in any era. It also brings back memories of former Eagles legends like quarterback Randall Cunningham or defensive end Reggie White, and we couldn’t be happier the throwback look will be returning for the 2023 season.
The return of the kelly green uniforms is the result of years worth of pleas from fans and Chairman/CEO Jeffrey Lurie giving the public what it wants. The NFL abolished its “one shell rule” that prohibited teams from using more than one base helmet color throughout the season before the 2022 regular season. The Eagles took an extra year to work with Nike and the NFL to get the details just right, and now they are almost here.
Eagles’ owner Jeffrey Lurie officially reiterated in a press conference on March 28th that the Kelly Green uniforms will officially be returning in 2023, but it got us wondering, just what will the Eagles’ uniform rotation look like in 2023? What happens to the black helmet?
The current NFL Rules would allow the Eagles to keep the black jerseys with midnight green helmets, or explore other options…
The NFL currently allows teams to have up to four different jersey/pants colors to wear throughout the season. While the Eagles only had three in 2022, teams like the Los Angeles Chargers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Baltimore Ravens all showcased four jerseys last season.
This means that Philly could bring back more than just the kelly green jerseys; however, they can only use their midnight green or the kelly green helmets. That means the black helmets that debuted in the 2022 season are retired for now. The Birds could still roll with a fourth jersey option in 2023.
Before last season, Philly wore their all-black ensemble with their midnight green helmets. That can be done again. The Eagles have created a tradition of wearing their blackout uniforms in games against the NFC East rival New York Giants, and it would be nice to see that continue.
It doesn’t hurt that the Eagles are 8-0 against the Giants when wearing them since their debut in 2014. For those who are interested, quarterback Jalen Hurts is 4-0 donning the all-black look over his young career.
The second option for a fourth jersey would be to wear a road version of the 1980s throwback uniforms, featuring a white jersey with kelly green numbers, silver pants, and the kelly green helmet. This would be something similar to what the Miami Dolphins currently do, as they have both a standard home and away jersey as well as throwback home and away jerseys, with helmets to match both sets.
There’s just one issue. As it stands now, the kelly green look is only going to be seen one time from what we hear. Hey, that could change, but as of right now, that’s what is being said.
If the Eagles opt to bring back their white 1980s throwbacks (Come on Jeffrey. Get it done), it could make for some phenomenal uniform matchups in 2023, given we already know The Birds’ 2023 opponents.
The Eagles visit the New England Patriots, who have their throwback red “Pat Patriot” uniforms that would make for a meeting of two of the best throwback jerseys in the entire NFL. The Eagles will also visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who will be bringing back the orange creamsicle attire that they wore during the 1980s. That could make for another meeting of all-time classic looks.
All that is currently guaranteed for 2023 is the following. We know that the Eagles will bring back a kelly green jersey with a matching kelly green helmet with their classic silver pants as one of the team’s alternate jerseys. We also know that they will also continue with the standard home and away midnight green and road white jerseys.
While we hope the Eagles take advantage of the ability to use a fourth jersey for the first time in their history, that is yet to be determined. Hey, you have to start somewhere. Kudos to league offices for slowly shedding their reputation of being the ‘No Fun League’. 2023 ought to be fun.
