The long-awaited revival of a classic NFL uniform has finally arrived.
The Tennessee Titans will turn to their roots with their throwback set in 2023, donning the kits made famous by the Oilers of both Houston and Tennessee. The Titans will debut this famous look at two home games this fall, the team announced.
A detailed explanation isn't quite necessary with this set. Names like Earl Campbell, Elvin Bethea, Warren Moon and Robert Brazile will jog the memory, and if that doesn't do the trick, Steve McNair, Eddie George and Bruce Matthews should remind those in Tennessee of these beauties.
The sets replicate the uniforms worn by the Oilers from 1981-1998, and more specifically (because there were slight changes to facemask colors and sock striping), 1982-1998. The white helmet with a red facemask, red-powder blue-red striping with white in between the outer and inner stripes, and trademark blue oil derrick outlined in red returns will be paired with the powder blue jersey with white numbers outlined in red, and sleeve stripes that match the helmet. White pants with identical striping and powder blue socks featuring the same striping pattern will complete the look.
A new bit of history will come with the debut of the throwback uniforms.
When the Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997, they played their first two seasons as the Tennessee Oilers, holding home contests at Memphis' Liberty Bowl in 1997 and Nashville's Vanderbilt Stadium in 1998 before being renamed the Titans and moving into Adelphia Coliseum (now known as Nissan Stadium) in 1999. In that span of time, the Oilers never wore their colored jerseys at home, electing to wear the all-white set previously reserved for road contests during their Houston days.
Their first game in these throwbacks will mark the first time the franchise has worn the powder blue Oilers jerseys in a home regular-season game in Tennessee since moving to the state.
These uniforms have long been considered as elite throwbacks, but the NFL's one-shell rule prevented the Titans from rolling them out. Now that the league has allowed teams to use alternate helmets, the Titans knew exactly where to turn: to the best uniforms in franchise history. The "Luv Ya Blue" Oilers will return in Tennessee's attire in 2023.
