Supe’s On 2023! Philadelphia Eagles Uniform History

I’m back again today with my buddy and Gridiron Uniform Database co-founder, Timmy Brulia, who has — as he has for the decade or so — provided YEOMAN research into the uniforms worn by the two Super Bowl combatants. Yesterday we took a look at the history of the AFC rep (and designated “road” team) Kansas City. If you missed that post, please click here. Timmy’s back today to bring you the history of the Eagles — a team who have competed in the NFL since 1933 — so it’s a long and amazingly detailed post. Enjoy!

Here’s Tim:

• • • • •Eagles Uniform History
by Tim Brulia

Well, well, well. We got a big one here. So, bear with me as we begin.

• • •1933: With the anticipation of the uber strict Pennsylvania Blue Laws being overturned by Keystone voters in November, which would allow Sunday sporting events, the National Football League awards franchises to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (as well as Cincinnati). The Philly team takes the name of Eagles and colors of pale blue and yellow. The uniforms consist of a pale blue leather helmet trimmed in yellow, jerseys of pale blue with yellow numbers and yellow Northwestern sleeve stripes. The pants were (for the time) standard canvas khaki and the socks pale blue with yellow Northwestern stripes. [In 2007, the team “threwback” for its 75th season to this look, however, it’s likely the team got it wrong. — PH]

• • •1934: The Eagles change up the jerseys and socks from a base color of pale blue to yellow, and during the season switch the helmet from blue to yellow with a blue wing trim pattern. The yellow jerseys feature pale blue sleeve panels and the yellow socks have three very thin blue stripes. The khaki pants remain.

• • •1935: The Birds ditch yellow as a uniform color and go to plain white leather helmets. The jerseys are plain, with pale blue jerseys and also green jerseys. Both tops feature white numbers with no trim or striping. Pants are gray with pale blue rear stripes worn with the blue jerseys and white with green stripes worn with the green jersey. Socks are solid pale blue and solid green worn with the respective jerseys.

• • •1936: The blue togs are eliminated, leaving the green and white as the sole uniform.

• • •1937: Green helmets are worn for night games.

• • •1941: With new ownership, the Eagles totally revamp the look. The helmets are now a light gray with black sides. Primary jerseys are midnight blue with light gray sleeve & side panels and numbers. Secondary jerseys are reversed (light gray with midnight blue sleeve & side panels). Pants are black with a thin light gray side stripe. The socks are midnight blue with two thin gray stripes and light gray with two thin midnight blue stripes. For their last two games of the season, the Eagles abruptly discard the above unis for green jerseys and socks with the same patterns, but trimmed in white, with plain silver pants. The helmet design for these two games was unchanged.

• • •1942: The look introduced at the tail end of 1941 remains, with the helmet modified to the new colors, with the light gray lid now more of a silvery color and the black sides now green.

• • •1943: The Eagles merge with the Pittsburgh Steelers and are affectionately called the Phil-Pitt Steagles. However, the unis worn in 1942 are exclusively worn by the merged squad for the entire season. Here’s some more on that.

• • •1944: A secondary jersey is added. The jersey is white with green numbers and two thin green stripes on the sleeves.

• • •1945: The secondary white jersey is altered to mimic the green top, with green sleeve and side panels. Plain green pants are occasionally worn with the white jerseys.

• • •1946: Three uni combinations are worn. white over green, green over silver and green over green.

• • •1947: With the return of the 1944-style white jersey, no less than six combinations are worn this season. A. white (striped) over green. B. white (striped) over silver, C. white (striped) over green with white socks (trimmed with two thin green stripes), D. white (paneled) over green, E. green paneled over gray, F. green paneled over green.

• • •1948: The white paneled jerseys are retired for good. Four combos are used: A. white over silver, B. white over green, C. green (paneled) over silver, D. a plain green jersey over silver.

• • •1949: The Eagles replace the leather lids with plastic domes. As a result, two styles of helmets were used. 1) A helmet done in the style of the leather lid, silver with green sides. 2) A solid green helmet. Four uni combos were worn: A. silver-green helmet, white over silver, B. silver-green helmet, green (paneled) over silver, C. silver-green helmet, plain green jersey over silver, D. green helmet, plain green jersey over silver.

• • •1950: Green pants make a return, but the green paneled jersey is retired. The combos: A. silver-green helmets, white jersey, green pants, B. silver-green helmets, green jersey, green pants, C. green helmet, white jersey, silver pants, D. green helmet, white jersey, green pants, E. green helmet, green jersey, green pants.

• • •1951: Only two uni combos are worn: green helmets, white jerseys, silver pants and the still stable green socks with the two thin white stripes, and the green jerseys worn with the aforementioned accessories.

• • •1952: The silver-green helmets make a one year return and are concurrently worn with the green helmets. The 1951 uni combos remain.

• • •1953: Same as worn in 1951.

• • •1954: The plain green helmets are now adorned with silver wings that start from the front of the helmet, separated by the raised ridge on the center of the helmet. The Eagles thus become the second team in the NFL to use an emblem on their helmets, six years after the Rams and one week before the Colts add white horseshoes to their blue helmets. All else remains the same.

• • •1955: Alongside the usual look, the Eagles add a pair of white pants with two thin green stripes along the sides, resulting in four combos worn during the season.

• • •1956: As with many other teams, the Eagles add TV numbers to the jerseys starting this season. Four combinations are worn: A. white jersey with green numbers (front, back and wee tiny TV numbers on the shoulders) and green Northwestern sleeve stripes over white pants, B. traditional white jerseys with green numbers (front back and sleeves) with the two separated sleeve stripes over white pants, C. traditional white jersey as mentioned in B over silver pants, and D. plain jersey with white numbers (front, back and sleeves) over silver pants.

• • •1957: Three combos this season. Away 1: traditional white jersey over silver pants, Away 2: plain white jersey with green numbers (front, back, sleeves) over white pants. Home: green jersey over silver pants.

• • •1958: The plain white jerseys and white pants are discarded, resulting in the normal home and away outfits.

• • •1959: The alternate white away jersey worn in 1956 (trimmed with Northwestern sleeve stripes) is also worn for an early season game.

• • •1960: White pants (with the two thin green side stripes) replace the silver pants for the three combos.

• • •1961: The basic two combos are worn.

• • •1964: The green home jersey adds white Northwestern stripes to the sleeves. The white jersey is unchanged.

• • •1965: The jerseys undergo another revamp. The green jerseys feature two white shoulder stripes and two white sleeve stripes with white TV numbers in between the stripes. The white jerseys also undergo a similar change, two green shoulder stripes, then the green TV numbers and two green sleeve stripes. The green socks, long adorned with two separated thin white stripes, are now a solid color.

• • •1969: While the Eagles retain the 1965-1968 jerseys and the white pants with the green side stripes, the Eagles change the wing color on the helmets from silver to white. They also decide to wear the green lids for road games only. The Birds break out a white helmet with green wings for Franklin Field games only. In addition, for some early season road games, the Eagles wear stripeless mesh jerseys, in both white and green colors. In all, 5 combos are worn: A. green helmet/stripeless white/white/green, B. green helmet/striped white/white green, C. green helmet/stripeless green/white/green, D. white helmet/stripeless green/white/green, E. white helmet/striped green/white/green. And like all the other NFL teams, an NFL 50th season patch is worn on the left shoulder of all four jerseys.

• • •1970: The white helmets become exclusive. The jerseys are now permanently stripeless and the numbers on both sets are outlined in black. With the merger in effect, player names are added to the back above the numbers, serifed solid green on the white jerseys, serifed solid white on the white jerseys.

• • •1971: Only change is the stripe combo on the white pants, from green/white/green to black/green/black.

• • •1974: A overhaul of the uniforms for this season. The green helmets return with silver wings outlined in white. The jerseys get vast changes. White: green numbers (front, back, shoulders) trimmed in silver with a green collar and sleeve stripes of green/silver/green separated by a solid green stripe separated by another green/silver/green stripe. Names on back (NOB) in solid sans-serifed green. Green: white numbers (front, back, shoulders) trimmed in silver with a silver and white collar and sleeve stripes of white/silver/white separated by a solid white stripe separated by another white/silver/white stripe. NOB is solid sans-serifed white. Pants are now silver with three separated stripes of green, white and green. Socks remain green with two white stripes, closer together than in days of yore.

• • •1975: The green socks have an altered stripe pattern of thin white/medium silver/thin white.

• • •1976: A set of wire mesh jerseys are introduced, which are worn for warm weather games. These jerseys lop off the lower set of stripes from what is worn on the normal set of jerseys. The “Philadelphia 76” bicentennial logo patch is worn on the left sleeve of all four jerseys for this season only.

• • •1979: The wire mesh jerseys are worn exclusively for the season.

• • •1980: The normal mesh jerseys with the full allotment of sleeve stripes return for a few games. For the Eagles’ appearance in Super Bowl XV, a piece of yellow tape is placed on the back of the helmet in tribute to the American hostages held in Iran.

• • •1981: The full striped green jersey makes its sole appearance for a playoff game.

• • •1985: Except for the helmet, the unis get a major revamp. The sleeve stripes were scrapped on both sets of jerseys for a simpler design. The whites had green numbers edged in black (front, back, shoulders), a green NOB, and the Eagles logo in green on the sleeves. The green jerseys had similar features, white numbers with black outline (front, back, shoulders), white NOB and a white Eagles logo on the sleeves. The silver pants had a new stripe pattern of green/thin black/white/thin black/green. Socks were white with two sets of green stripes flanked by black feather stripes.

• • •1988: For their game against the Steelers (11/13), the Eagles wore a tiny memorial helmet decal for Art Rooney between the wings.

• • •1989: After the sudden passing of assistant coach Doug Scovil on 12/9, the Eagles used a strip of black electrical tape across both wings on their helmets as a makeshift memorial.

• • •1992: Popular player Jerome Brown was killed in an accident in late June. The Eagles wore a memorial patch on the left breast in contrast to the jersey colors. Starting with Week 3, the patch was given a facelift and worn for the rest of the season.

• • •1994: Like all the other teams, the Eagles wore the NFL’s 75th season patch on the left breast of the jersey. For their throwback uni, the Eagles hearkened back to the look of the late 40’s with the silver helmet with green sides, white jersey with the two separated green sleeve stripes, green pants and green socks with two white separated stripes.

• • •1996: It’s time for another overhaul! The Eagles ditch the kelly green/green which had served them so long in favor of midnight (dark) green. The helmets are midnight green with the wings modified to white, with black inset outlines and a flair of silver. White jerseys feature a new block font with midnight green outlined in black (front/back/shoulders), NOB’s in serifed midnight green trimmed in black and sleeve stripes of midnight green/white/black, the black stripe resting on the sleeve edge. A very small Eagles wordmark sits below the center collar front. The dark green jerseys feature similar number and NOB styling as the white jersey in white with black outline. However a new Eagle logo is placed on the sleeves instead of stripes. The pants are now white with a black/green/black stripe combo, which are worn with both sets, and dark green pants with a single black stripe plus the new Eagle logo placed on the hip are worn with the white jersey. Solid black socks complete the re-design.

• • •1997: The white jersey is modified by replacing the sleeve stripes with the Eagle logo as seen on the dark green jersey with a single black stripe on the sleeve edge. For a Monday Night game against the 49ers, the Eagles go all green with green pants flanked by a thickish black stripe, without the logos on the hips. Otherwise, the white pants are worn for the regular season.

• • •1998: Three uni combinations are worn: A. white over green, B. white over white, and C. green over white.

• • •1999: Slight alterations are made, as a black collar is added to both jerseys and the black stripe on the sleeve edge to the green jersey. The same three combos worn in ’98 are worn this season.

• • •2001: The same three jersey/pants combos are worn, but solid green socks are now worn with the white pants, while the black socks remain with the green pants.

• • •2002: 5 uni combos are worn: A. white/white/black (socks), B. white/white/green, C. green/white/green, D. green/white/black, E. green/green/black.

• • •2003: For their first game at new Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles wear a patch on the white jersey commemorating the event. The jerseys and pants have slight changes. Jerseys now have an added touch of silver trim to the numbers and the wordmark is changed. The pant stripes now have a rear black/front green on the whites and a very thin rear white/front black on the greens. Also, a black alternate pops up, with a green collar and a green sleeve edge. Black socks are again exclusive. The combos: A. white/white, B. white/green, C. green/white, D. black/green, E. black/white.

• • •2004: Four combinations: A. white/green, B. green/white, C. black/white, D. black/green. The Super Bowl XXXIX patch is worn on the green jersey for the Big Game.

• • •2005: Just three combos are worn: A. white/green, B. green/white, C. black/white.

• • •2006: Same as 2005.

• • •2007: A commemorative 75th Season patch is worn on the left breast, and the black top takes a sabbatical. The combos: A. white/white, B. white/green, C. green/white, D. In honor of the 75th season, the Eagles wear a throwback based on the 1934 set: yellow helmet with a pale blue wing pattern, yellow jersey with pale blue sleeve panel, pale blue front & back numbers, white pants and pale blue socks with three thin yellow stripes.

• • •2008: Week 1 had the Gene Upshaw memorial patch on the white jersey. Combos include: A. white/green, B. green/white, C. black/white.

• • •2009: Same 3 combos as 2008.

• • •2010: For Week 1, the Eagles celebrate the 50th anniversary of their last title by wearing their home uniform from that season, including kelly green helmets with silver wings, kelly green jerseys with plain white numbers and serifed NOBs, white pants with two green side stripes and kelly green socks with a thin white stripe. Other uni combos were: A. white/white, B. white/green, C. green/white.

• • •2011: For the Week 1 game played on 9/11, a ribbon commemorating the 10th anniversary of the tragedy is worn on the white jersey. Only the white/green and green/white combos are worn.

• • •2012: Hall of Fame patches are worn on both the white and green jerseys for Weeks 14 and 15. Combos include: A. white/white, B. white/green, C. green/white, D. black/white.

• • •2013: The 4 outfits worn are: A. white/white, B. white/green, C. green/white, D. black/white.

• • •2014: Same sets as worn in 2013, though Nike’s flywire collars make those a bit thicker.

• • •2015: Four sets worn this season, including A. white/white, B. white/green, C. green/white, D. black/black.

• • •2016: Again four sets worn: A. white/green, B. green/white, C. black/black, D. a black/black Color Rush set where the black socks had no white showing.

• • •2017: The Birds wore five combos. A. white/white, B. white/green for a game, C. green/white, D. black/black, E. a Color Rush white/white with full plain white socks. As a side note, the flywire collar is dropped.

• • •2018: For Week 1, a special Super Bowl LII Champions patch was worn on the left breast of the green jersey. Three uni combos were worn; white/white, green/white and black/black. No white sannies were worn with the all black combo for Week 10.

• • •2019: Combinations worn include white/white (with all white socks), white/green, green/white and black/black (with all black socks).

• • •2020: Four combos were worn, and they were: white/white (all white socks), white/green, green/white and black/black, with sannie socks (Week 14), and without sannies (Week 7).

• • •2021: The Eagles trotted out a white/black combo for three games in addition to the white/white/solid white socks, green/white/black, white/green/solid white socks and the full triple black set.

• • •2022: The Birds took advantage of the NFL’s revisited second color helmet availability by wearing a total black from head to toe set for three games late in the season. Other combos consisted of white/white/all white, white/green/all white, white/green/all black, white/black/all black, green/white/black with sannie and green/white/all white. For Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles will have the SB LVII patch on the players’ left breast of the green jersey.

• • • • •WOW! Thanks (again) so much for that Timmy! Tremendous coverage for the Eagles today (and KC yesterday). Readers, please take a moment to give Tim a big round of virtual applause in the comments below.