At the beginning of the 2019 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns announced a change in uniform approach.
While the organisation will premiere a brand-new uniform set for 2020, there was a smaller change afoot. Having won all three games they played in their all-brown alternate ‘Color Rush’ outfit in 2018, the Browns petitioned the league to be allowed to wear that more often, to be now known as the ‘Primary Colours’ uniform.
Taking advantage of the NFL’s relaxing of the rules regarding solid-coloured socks, the new home uniform has appeared with brown socks in most of its outings, though orange socks were worn against the Los Angeles Rams.
The white away jersey remains unchanged since the 2015 redesign. In away games, all-white has been preferred, though orange pants and brown socks appeared against the Baltimore Ravens.
That makes it four combinations in eight games so far in the 2019 season, though from 2015-18 they nearly managed to take the field in every possible available mix of brown, white and orange.
Leaving aside the white socks (only used against the Baltimore Ravens in November 2016, a designated ‘Color Rush’ game), there was a total of 18 different permutations – three jerseys, three pants and two socks – and the Browns wore 15 of them. The only colourways not to appear were orange-brown-brown, orange-orange-orange and orange-orange-brown.
Is this an NFL record for the greatest level of mixing a complementary set, or have we overlooked one? Comment below or tweet us @museumofjerseys.
