Everybody loves 90s jerseys now.
Nostalgia has looked favorably on the cartoonish ridiculousness of many jerseys from the 1990s. They are popular thanks to a general wave of nostalgia, and brands like Mitchell & Ness deal almost exclusively with throwback jerseys. If you’re a sports fan, chances are you or someone you know owns at least one.
Several such jerseys are more widespread and popular than they were even while they were being worn—Vince Carter Raptors jersey is a popular one at music festivals.
Other 90s jerseys, however, have fallen by the wayside. Some haven’t been used in a while, others aren’t sold online and a lawsuit even held up one logo on this list from production. So these aren't the throwbacks you see people wearing. These are jerseys that you probably forgot about, or in some cases didn't even know existed.
But it’s time that they got some recognition. Here are 11 '90s jerseys that deserve a comeback, in no particular order.
Jets, 1990-97
Jaguars, 1995-96
Patriots, 1993-99
Ravens, 1996-98
Mighty Ducks "Wild Wing" Alternates, 1995-96
USA Basketball, 1996
NBA Houston Rockets #BASKETBALLSHIRT JERSEY CHAMPION #4 Charles Barkley pic.twitter.com/wrpTePN225
— ClassicFootballShirt (@Classic1Shirts) November 25, 2017
The change of the Rockets' logo was awesome. Perhaps because this was the only Rockets logo since 1972 to feature an actual rocket on it.
Houston gave their unis a makeover after winning their second straight title in 1995, and wore these throughout the Charles Barkley/Scottie Pippen/Clyde Drexler days. The unique lettering gave these jerseys a unique look, as did the navy color scheme. They returned to the traditional red scheme back in 2003, and haven't looked back since.
It would be cool if they looked back, though. These jerseys would go great with James Harden’s beard.
#1995-96 atlanta hawks game worn #shooting shirt #jersey - with loa, LINK:http://t.co/hSmFsr1tCQ pic.twitter.com/li6DGZm1kP
— zeppy.io shooting (@zeppy_shooting) June 10, 2015
Even by 90s standards, these jerseys were excessively cartoonish and over the top.
And that's what makes them so awesome.
A lot of 90s jerseys designs were cartoonish, but this entire design was literally a cartoon. The cartoon hawk featured on the front is far larger than most team jersey designs — and its wings even extend to the back of the jersey. Peak. 90s. Look.
You could totally see The Fresh Prince rocking one of these.
The Hawks wore these from 1995-1999, and made the postseason every year they wore them. Once they stopped wearing them, they went eight years without a playoff appearance. Coincidence? I think not.
Brand New NBA Joe Dumars 1996 Detroit Pistons Teal Jersey, Stitched Size M https://t.co/E1x5YfKPWf pic.twitter.com/oLcQP1FMrT
— Fantastic SportCards (@FantasticSportT) September 8, 2016
The horse jerseys were sandwiched in between the two most memorable periods in Pistons history: the "Bad Boys" era of the late-80s, and the Ben Wallace era of the 00s. This has left them as somewhat of an obscure Pistons memory.
The only thing keeping the teal horse era alive is the greatness of Grant Hill. Hill played his best basketball in these jerseys, so they're mostly associated with him. But they should be remembered for far more than just the jersey that Grant Hill wore -- they should be remembered as one of the most 90s looks ever to hit the court.