The Buffalo Bills are a team of disappointment in many ways. Those who don’t laugh at the four consecutive Super Bowl losses know that all too well. But I’m not talking about on-field play, I speak of the uniforms.
As everyone watches the American Football League 50th Anniversary games, we begin to understand what great football jerseys the Bills once had. Those who look at their current uniforms should only feel disappointment … and I’m one of the few who like the blue shoulders and current logo!
The Bills wore royal blue with red, white, and blue striping on the sleeves, with white helmets featuring their standing red buffalo logo.
This came after their inaugural season of blue jerseys with silver numbers and silver helmets; that look lasted only one year.
They switched to something very similar to their current logo featured on a white helmet beginning in 1974 while maintaining their royal blue jerseys. This look lasted until 1984 and was their best, in my opinion.
I’m not a fan of the standing buffalo logo; it is far too static and docile for a football helmet.
The current logo, though not perfect, gives the feeling of danger that a thundering herd of bison rightly deserves rather than the look of grazing buffalo that were shot from trains for sport. Of course, this all makes perfect sense for a team named for “Buffalo” Bill Cody.
Beginning in 1984, the current red helmet was introduced. Through four Super Bowl losses, the look didn’t change.
In 2002, the Bills organization switched to a dark navy blue, with blue shoulders on the white jersey. The shoulders, which extend on the back to include the name on the jersey, actually are based upon the popularity of the Sabres’ white sweaters of the time doing the same thing.
This look has been hated in various places, especially at the central hub of jersey junkies such as myself, UniWatchBlog.com. Why? I’m not entirely sure. Perhaps it’s the red side panels, which could definitely go, or the entirely unconventional jersey style.
Regardless, the Bills need to stop sampling their history with their throwback alternate, and simply re-adopt that look full time.
Everyone would be a whole lot happier, and I just might stop making that “Bills stands for ‘Boy I Love Losing Superbowls” joke; on second thought, maybe not.
