GOAT Uniforms: '90s dynasties, underrated gems shine as we enter top 50
"If you look good, you play good." - Deion Sanders
theScore is counting down the 100 best uniforms in sports history, with a new post every weekday until May 15.
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
50. Washington Capitals (1970s)
The Capitals entered the league in 1974, and they came in looking fresh. From their inception until 1995, Washington rocked these incredible red, white, and blue sweaters adorned with stars across the chest and down the sleeves and pants. The club made a very '90s switch to blue, black, and bronze, but then returned to its original colors (albeit with a modernized design) during the Alex Ovechkin era in the late 2000s. Fans are still waiting and hoping for these exact beauties to come back on a full-time basis.
49. Tennessee football (current)
More bright colors in football, please! The Vols hit their orange and white design out of the park nearly a century ago and have stuck with it ever since. Tennessee's current getup evokes the traditions of one of the most popular programs in America, yet it also features a few modern touches - namely the font - to maintain a near-perfect balance.
48. Milwaukee Brewers (1980s)
Below the shoulders, there's nothing particularly special about this uniform. It's that logo that sets it above so many others. The renowned "ball-in-glove" identifier recently made its return (with a few subtle and unnecessary tweaks), correcting a mistake made a quarter-century ago when the team ditched its wonderfully clever graphic representation of an "m" and a "b."
47. Pittsburgh Steelers (1970s)
The Steelers' uniform changes over the past few decades have been minimal, but their "Steel Curtain" digs represent the team's best. So much of the franchise's identity was formed wearing these, as Pittsburgh won four Super Bowl titles from 1974-79, giving this version the nod over the current renditions. Give us standard block numbers over the current rounded and italicized number font every time.
46. Philadelphia Flyers (current)
Few teams in the NHL have an identity as strong as that of the Flyers. They've always played brash, in-your-face hockey, and the vibrant shade of orange they wear at home helps drive that message into the heads of their opponents. Design-wise, the white stripe running down the entire sleeve is a look exclusive to Philadelphia, as is the block-style nameplate that helps make this uniform pop.
45. Argentina (1980s)
This is one of the most exemplary kits in international football, plain and simple. The sky-blue vertical stripes have been represented by dozens of legends in the beautiful game, but the simplicity of the uniforms rocked by Maradona and Co. en route to a World Cup victory in 1986 is what takes the cake. It will be a shame if we never see Messi hoist a major international trophy in these colors.
44. Indianapolis Colts (current)
A simple single-color look is all you need sometimes, and Indianapolis' uncomplicated blue-and-white mix is always easy on the eyes. The grey facemask is probably inferior to the former blue version, but we'll give that a pass because it's a more accurate representation of what the Colts wore in their early days. Everything else, from the everlasting horseshoe logo on the helmet to the dual stripes on the shoulders and pants, makes this uniform one of the NFL's gems. The squad is updating its jersey numbers to a slightly different serifed font this season, which is a change we support.
43. Alabama football (current)
There's something truly special about watching highlights of a program like Alabama that's enjoyed an unprecedented run of success over the decades. The star players come and go, but the uniform never changes, and all that history in Tuscaloosa is interwoven in crimson. We love the simple striping on the helmet and pants, and a jersey free of everything but a player's name and number helps deliver the timeless aesthetic. The numbers on the helmet rock, too.
42. Chicago Bulls (current)
These uniforms haven't changed for decades, but we can all agree they're best represented by the Michael Jordan-led era of the '90s Bulls. MJ's dominance helped Chicago become one of the most famous franchises in the world, and the jerseys today are still instantly recognizable. Red and black is the only appropriate color scheme for the Bulls, and the bold wordmark across the chest will live on forever.
41. Dallas Cowboys (current)
America's Team looks so good in home whites that it hardly ever finds the need to wear a different uniform. The star-branded helmets are truly iconic, and the straightforward jerseys are flat-out gorgeous, but the silvery-blue pants not quite matching the helmets is what prevents the Cowboys from being closer to the top of our list.
Next: 40-31
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