In late June the NFL announced that teams will be permitted to have alternate colored helmets starting in 2022. As long as players have previously worn them in pre-season and they are properly fitted teams can do whatever they’d like to change the colors. This opens up a world of possibilities for every team, but the Broncos could be one of the teams that benefits the most. With plenty of options and eras to choose from the Broncos have to make the hard decision of which to select. Let’s take a look back at some old Broncos uniforms to see what a new Broncos throwback could look like.
Way back when the franchise was just getting its legs the Broncos looked very different. Instead of the classic orange and blue that we’re all used to now, the team instead wore brown and yellow. Their jerseys resembled those currently donned by the University of Wyoming’s football team.
Image courtesy of Scott Sillcox. The likelihood of these jerseys ever coming back is extremely low. This era was very short so it provides very little nostalgia for the fans. On top of that the jerseys are objectively ugly, a two tone yellow and brown won’t fly off the shelves.
Worn by Broncos’ ring of famers like Floyd Little, Lionel Taylor and Goose Gonsoulin, the orange helmet era is often overlooked. The orange jersey with white pants isn’t something new for Broncos fans but the helmet sure is. The bright orange color with the emaciated-looking
Image courtesy of the NFL
white bronco on it will definitely be a fan favorite. Of course the jersey will have to be modified to fit today’s style but the bright colors are already a plus. With a few modern touches to the jersey itself this look could certainly be in contention.
The blue helmet with the classic Broncos logo is arguably the most popular Broncos uniform of all time. So popular in fact that elements of those uniforms were brought back for color rush games in the late 2010s. One of the clear front runners for an alternate uniform, this jersey is
Image courtesy of USA Today
symbolic of some of the best moments in Broncos history. The career of 1978 defensive play of the year Randy Gradishar and the meteoric rise of John Elway come to mind when you see these uniforms. An older generation of Broncos fans already have this helmet in their basement but maybe it’s time for a younger generation to create their own memories with the throwback helmet.
Another clear front runner for a throwback is the striking dark blue with white pants. This jersey has seen two Super Bowl seasons and was worn by the most iconic players in Broncos history. The helmet was the first time we saw the up-to-date Broncos logo that still stands nearly 25 years later. A dark uniform like this one would be very easy to
Image courtesy of Doug Pensinger
accessorize and would pair nicely with the visors that many players wear today. However, there are two issues with this jersey. The first being that the team could bring them back too soon. We saw these uniforms as recently as The last time we saw these was 2012 which might not be old enough to be considered a throwback. Secondly, the current alternate looks very similar so it wouldn’t be much of an update. Nevertheless, Broncos fans loved this jersey and wouldn’t mind seeing it back.
For years graphic designers on social media have been creating models of potential uniform combinations seemingly waiting for this moment. One of the premier designers on Instagram is @ultimateeffects, here’s their take on the potential new jerseys. The mountains included in this design is a new look which we haven’t seen before from the Broncos. The orange helmets also make a return in the home version while the away version opts for more of a color rush look.
Image courtesy of @Ultimateeffects/instagram
Image courtesy of @Ultimateeffects/instagram
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