Gallery: The Best NFL Jerseys of All Time

For a league as old as the NFL, you'd have to expect that it's seen more than its fair share of fashion fails. After all, who could forget those god-awful Steelers throwbacks or the Jets' ill-advised Titans gear? Certainly, no one has ever been under the impression that Karl Lagerfeld is the one in charge of decking out their favorite team.

But that doesn't mean that our gridiron heroes haven't managed to come out of the tunnel with some pretty good looking unis throughout the years, either. We're all more than familiar with San Diego's powder blue get-ups, and certain outfits like the Cowboys' Double-Star jersey or Jacksonville's new collaborations with Nike have definitely impressed us. So let's recognize the moments where each team was able to come onto the field looking their best. These are the Best NFL Jerseys of All Time.

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Years worn: 1979-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

If the Redskins do end up changing their nickname, we hope that the burgundy and gold won't have to go as well. That deep red is one of the league's most unique hues around, and it isn't an accident that this jersey has stayed pretty much unchanged since it was first debuted in the late '70s. Design this well-done should always have a place in the NFL.

Years worn: 1996-2005
Where to buy it: Etsy

The new jerseys that Minnesota wears today certainly aren't bad. We don't mind the white/purple shoulder stripes, and we also think that the gold collar is a nice touch. However, nothing beats an all-purple shirt for a team that has long been known as the, "Purple People Eaters." Plus, the Vikings logos on the sleeves are an added bonus. Hopefully we'll see the team break these out for a throwback game soon?

Years worn: 1980-1996
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

It's fine that Tennessee wanted to ditch the Oilers nickname when they relocated from Houston, but they should've kept the jerseys. Next to the Chargers, these are some of our favorite throwbacks in the NFL. Must be something about that powder blue. Aside from that, though, the red trim around the white numbering was the perfect way to create a catching design, while also skillfully employing a tri-color scheme. These need to get more play than what they're currently seeing.

Years worn: 1997-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

Don't even try and sell us on those horrendous, Creamsicle-style jerseys that the Bucs were wearing for way, way too long. Does orange and white really say, "swashbuckling pirate," to anyone? Sounds more like, "Broadway," to us than "Blackbeard." The change to pewter, red, and black was undoubtedly the way to go for Tampa Bay. The color trio represents three of the most important parts of any pirate's life: iron, blood, and the Jolly Roger.

Years worn: 1973-1999
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

We can understand St. Louis' desire to update their look after 27 seasons on the field, but it's a shame that uniforms this good had to be the casualty of such a change. The newer, flatter gold look is fine, but when the Greatest Show on Turf was at their peak, these were the kits that they had going on. That bright yellow spark of Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt or Isaac Bruce tearing across the field? There was nothing like it.

Years worn: 1983-2001
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

Never has a logo been more seamlessly integrated into a jersey than this example from Seattle. The Seahawks' logo being what it is, the decision to blend the bird's head into a typical stripe pattern on the sleeves is a stroke of aesthetic genius. Kudos all around to whoever came up with this one. It's too bad that the team let Nike call all the shots on their new unis. This look deserved to be resurrected.

Years worn: 2000-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

Big Blue? More like Big Boring. Be honest: when you saw the name "Manning" on the back, you thought that we were talking about Indianapolis-era Peyton, didn't you? We don't know exactly why it is that the Colts are able to own the blue/white deal so much better than the Giants, but they just do. Sure, the slight difference in shades between the two teams is somewhat noticeable, but nothing about what the Giants have going on in the rest of their uniform makes their jersey pop out to us at all. Their red alternates were a sorry attempt to add some flavor, and the road unis are still best described as "tepid." The blues can really only be described as the best of the worst.

Years worn: 1960-1973
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

You knew this one was coming. The Chargers' powder blues are, arguably, the most widely-recognized throwback jersey in the league. We're not going to say that we'd want to see San Diego putting these on every game day (the huge, cartoonish numbering is terribly outdated), but for their era, these were the best that the AFL and post-merger NFL had to offer in terms of aesthetic appeal. We'll always look to this jersey to remind ourselves of the times when the NFL stood for something other than the No Fun League.

Years worn: 1997-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

For the most part, the Steelers' jerseys have stayed the same over the years, but it was in 1997 that they selected the Futura Condensed font that they now use for the lettering and numbering. The style is befitting of the teams name: hard, efficient, industrial, and it packs a punch when you see it. The black and yellow will always be a stand-out team in the league, and not just because of all their rings.

Years worn: 1998-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

The Jets may always be known as the little brother of their cross-town rival, the New York Giants, but they at least have earned bragging rights when it comes to jersey swag. The green and white color scheme always manages to impress us, even against green grass or field turf. A lot of things might be dysfunctional in the Jets organization right now, but this uniform certainly isn't one of them.

Years worn: 1967-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

The fleur-de-lis is one of the best logos in the NFL, and when you pair it with an enduring color scheme like black and gold, then you've found yourself the formula for a winner. Despite years of ineptitude, the Saints always knew they had a winning hand with their uniforms and, thankfully, never opted for a makeover like other teams that look for quick and easy ways to reinvigorate their fan bases (see: Jacksonville, Tampa Bay).

Years worn: 1996-2000
Where to buy it: eBay

Don't get us wrong: the Patriots' old red jerseys are great, but the giant Patriots logos on the shoulders here are just way too good to pass up. It's a shame that this design choice fell out of favor. A team's logo is its premiere calling card, and one would think it'd be a no-brainer for them to be putting it on their jerseys. Unfortunately, vintage specials like this will have to wait to see their day in the sun again.

Years worn: 1966-2012
Where to buy it: eBay

Fact: The reason you don't see Miami break out the aqua jerseys very often is because they usually only wear them on the road. When they're playing at home during the day, they choose to wear their white ones because the color is better at deflecting the heat of the Miami sun. We wish we could see the aqua option more often though. It's a quintessential Miami color that blends in perfectly with the Floridian atmosphere of beaches, palm trees, and waves pounding against the shore.

Years worn: 1960-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

The Chiefs' jerseys have essentially remained the same for their entire history, so we'll choose the home jerseys over their white, road ones here. Unlike most reds you see other teams try to pull off, Kansas City's particular brand doesn't strain your eyes to look at, and is well-complemented by the gold stripes and trimmings. Simply put, it's a time-tested, well-aged look for one of the league's oldest clubs.

Years worn: 2013-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

Jacksonville was seeking to make a statement with the new jerseys that they unveiled this year, and they accomplished that in spades with what they put together. All of the options that they offer are great, but our favorite is the teal alternate. Featuring black numbers and shoulder pads, along with some gold accents on the top, the jersey is completely unique to the Jaguars franchise and doesn't overdo the hyper-futuristic look that Nike has been pushing. If Jacksonville is serious about creating a new identity for themselves, then this a great starting point.

Years worn: 1953-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

Really, with how static the Colts' uniforms have stayed throughout the years, this just comes down to a simple decision of home versus away. We'll opt for the home kits on this one, though. The away shirts are too easily confusible with Dallas' color scheme, but the "Speed Blue" that the home jersey has adopted easily distinguishes Indianapolis from the rest of the league.

Years worn: 2006-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

With how young the Texans are as a club, we aren't given too much to choose from in the way of options here. However, since their red alternates are a little bit of an eye-sore, and the navy shirts fall somewhat flat, we decided to go with the road kits. White jerseys don't usually do it for us, but for Houston, with the red numbering they combined it with, we'll give this one the nod.

Years worn: 1987-2001
Where to buy it: Etsy

The Buffalo Bills have endured some tough years in the past couple decades, so why not try and reclaim the glory days of the Jim Kelly-era by returning to the jerseys he once wore? What separates this jersey from the Bills' other apparel is the lighter, brighter shade of blue that it features, and the design slip-ups it avoids like the awkward, shoulder paneling of the teams current away outfits. They didn't overdo anything here, and that's a philsophy that every team should stick to.

Years worn: 1968-1996
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

Denver's original orange jerseys are one of the few instances where the color is acceptable in the NFL. There's just something about the way they use it that takes us back to the old days of the league. It screams '70s and '80s to us in that disco/Miami Vice sort've way, ya know? By the time 1996 rolled around, changing up the scheme wasn't a bad idea, but for the run that this jersey got, you can't really say that it ever disappointed.

Years worn: 1994-2003
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

Dallas' jerseys can get a little boring to look at sometimes, and we can't figure out why they don't break out this double-starred look more often. The design was conceived when the team was looking for a way to celebrate their back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the early '90s, and it's definitely a winner to us. The blue stars are big and bold, and create a nice color balance with the white when paired with the navy shoulder pads and numbers. We hope to see the Cowboys rocking these more in the future.

Years worn: 1945-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

We're not going to lie: picking our favorite Cleveland jersey wasn't easy, mainly because they're all kind of awful. But if we're going to go with one, we'll choose the option that's actually, well, brown. For a franchise that goes by the name "Browns," it's somewhat impressive how little of the color they manage to incorporate onto their uniforms. Why that's the case is beyond us too. The shade of orange that the team settled on has never looked good, standing today as one of the league's worst aesthetic decisions in its history.

Years worn: 1981-1996
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

The Bengals' stripes have taken on new forms many times throughout the history of the franchise, but their finest iteration was undoubtedly from 1981 to 1996. The black-on-orange gives the team an intimidating look, and dumps the white side panel of Cincinnati's current unis. Additionally: they need to bring back the leaping bengal on the sleeves ASAP. The tiger head they have going now just isn't cutting it.

Years worn: 1949-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

This was an easy choice, mainly because there aren't too many other options in Chicago's fashion closet. We definitely weren't going to go with their orange alternates, and the white away jerseys just weren't eye-catching enough for our tastes. The navy blue, paired with the white lettering and orange arms stripes, offers a classic look that isn't overwhelming to put your eyes on. A team that has been around as long as the Bears deserves a jersey like this.

Years worn: 2012-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

The Panthers' all-black uniforms were recently voted the best in NFL history by a fan poll on NFL.com. We're not sure we'd go quite that far, but they do look pretty good. The electric blue complements the darker, primary color nicely to create a timeless look for the team. Actual panthers, after all, are completely black, so why shouldn't Carolina do the same?

Years worn: 1950-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

Green Bay's hunter green and gold combo has long stood out as one of the most iconic jerseys in the NFL. The two colors manage one another perfectly—so perfectly, in fact, that the jersey has had to undergo very few changes throughout the course of Packers history. The only competition that this shirt really has is from Green Bay's navy and gold throwback option that they debuted in 2010. Truthfully, though, those aren't even close to what the team regularly sports.

Years worn: 2004-Present
Where to buy it: NFL Shop

A dude like Ray Lewis was pretty much born to wear Baltimore's "Pitch Black" uni set. Debuting in November of 2004, the Ravens donned the colors of their namesake bird to great aesthetic success. We ask you, is there anything more terrifying to you than seeing the Ravens defense coming at you in a jersey like this? Didn't think so.

Years worn: 1996-2004
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

The rising sun patch is what really distinguishes this Cardinals shirt from the team's other options. The color scheme and numbering are understated—a simple red-on-white design without any borders or outlines—letting the patch and the sleeve stripes do all the visual work. Arizona hasn't been what anyone would call the most successful franchise in the league, but they should at least try and dress like it. Bring back this jersey!

Years worn: 1994
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

The 49ers' outfits have stayed relatively the same since their inception into the league in 1946, but what we liked most about their 1994 jersey was the shadowed numbering and the NFL's 75th Anniversary patch placed near the left shoulder. Complemented with their gold helmets and pants, San Francisco has donned one of the league's most polished outfits for decades. It's hard to go wrong with any Niners gear, but this version deserves to have itself recognized apart from the rest of the team's offerings.

Years worn: 1985-1996
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

It's a bummer that the Eagles gave these up. The kelly green is a classic look for any team, and the flying eagles on the sleeves are a major improvement over the too-sleek and too-sharp logo they have now. Michael Vick should always be able to look this good.

Years Worn: 1970-2002
Where To Buy It: eBay

The Detroit Lions have always called their primary jersey color, "Honolulu Blue," but we're almost positive that the shade they were donning in the '90s was different than the one they have on now. During the former period, the tone was lighter, and paired well with a silver double stripe on the sleeve, as opposed to the single, blockier stripe they have now. Plus, anything that can remind a Detroit Lions fan of the days of Barry Sanders is an automatic win in their books.

Years worn: 1990-2002
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

Atlanta did away with their all-black option when they switched up the team logo and uniform scheme in 2003. We think it was a big mistake on their part. The older Falcon logo looked more menacing than the current one, and whenever you can have the chance to dress your team in all-black, you should never mess with the good thing you have going.

Years worn: 1963-Present
Where to buy it: Mitchell & Ness

When you think "silver and black," you think the Raiders. No other team is better known for their colors than Oakland, having rocked them since the early '60s, and always complemented them with the necessary attitude. Even if you're not a fan of the Raiders, you want to own some sort of Raiders gear. The associated swagger is just way too good to pass up.