Fans often clamor for the Miami Dolphins throwback uniforms to become their permanent look. Are they that much better than their current design?
The biggest conversation around the Miami Dolphins — aside from Tua Tagovailoa's health and whether Mike McDaniel will make it through the season as coach — centers around their uniforms. Specifically, when owner Stephen Ross will make the throwback unis the standard set.
Every time the Dolphins break out the retro look, either the aqua or white option, social media gets flooded with comments about how good the team looks and how they should make the look permanent. The throwbacks, which harken back to the undefeated 1972 season, were recently ranked the best in the NFL by CBS Sports.
It's almost a shame, because it's not like their current standard threads look bad. Miami had kept the same basic uniform design since their inception into the AFL in 1966 with some minor tweaks along the way (swapping out shoulder stripes for the logo in 1987, adding drop shadow to the logo and numbers in 1997). Then in 2013, the team had its first big redesign, going for a sleeker look highlighted by an updated logo.
It didn't take long for the popular old-school look to return: To celebrate the franchise's 50th anniversary in 2015, the Dolphins debuted throwback uniforms from their inaugural 1966 season. They were an instant smash hit, and the retro look has returned every year since, with a white version soon joining the aqua jerseys as a stylistic one-two punch. And there's more good news for fans of the Dolphins throwbacks: The NFL increased the amount of times teams can go retro from three to four starting this season.
Are they that much better than the official standard look? The Dolphins look good no matter what uniforms they wear (excepting the brief flirtation they had with orange jerseys in the 2000s). And there will be another addition to the uniform set for one AFC East game this season as part of the NFL's "Rivalries" initiative.
Which combination looks best? We'll list our grades below before giving you the chance to cast your vote:
Aqua jerseys/white pants
One could consider the modern colored jersey as alternates considering how rarely they see the field — the Dolphins wore them just twice last year. And that's too bad, because they look sharp with the splash of color flowing nicely down the wide stripe on the white pants. The 2013 redesign doesn't look as goofy since Nike took those weird stitch patterns of the collar. Grade: A-
White jerseys/white pants
The de facto standard uniform looks solid if not spectacular. All-white unis are functional when battling the South Florida heat that can last through the first half of the season, and it brings more attention to the sleek redesigned dolphin logo on the helmets. Bonus points for when you can see all the extra colors picked up from sliding on the turf throughout the game. Grade: B+
White jerseys/aqua pants
This combo works better in theory than it does in practice. Don't get me wrong, the aqua pants look fine, but it doesn't hit the same as the all-white look. It's just too much down the legs, especially with the aqua socks. Grade: B
Aqua jerseys/aqua pants
If the aqua pants were too much with the white jersey, partnering them with the colored jerseys is akin to drowning in it. The Dolphins haven't worn this combination since the 2022 season, and that's for the best. Factor in seeing a bunch of aqua against the green grass of a football field, and it's just not a great idea. Grade: C
Aqua throwbacks
Now we're talking. The 1970s color scheme looks gorgeous in person and on TV. The shoulder stripes bring the jersey together better than the modern look's logo does. The slimmer stripe down the pants pairs perfectly with the traditional triple-striped socks. This package also works so well because it's not afraid to utilize orange as more than an outline and sunburst on the helmet logo. Speaking of which, who doesn't love the charm of a helmet logo featuring a dolphin wearing a helmet that isn't the same as the helmet on which it is displayed? Grade: A+
White throwbacks
The Dolphins brought back the retro white jerseys in 2019, and they're a welcome sight on the field. They might not pop as much as the aqua jersey variety, but the old-school numbering and striping patterns just work better than the still-solid modern look. Another plus for the throwbacks: the bigger nameplates on the back of the jerseys. Grade: A-
Vote for your favorite Miami Dolphins uniform
Disagree with our grades? Cast your vote below on what you think is the best uniform set for the Dolphins.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami Dolphins uniform grades for throwbacks, modern jerseys
Category: Football
