The Philadelphia Eagles were established in 1933 and have worn many different uniforms since then. While the Eagles are known for primarily wearing green, that wasn’t the first color of Philadelphia’s uniforms.
Many fans likely want to forget the horrific look that was revived in 2007, when the Eagles wore blue and yellow to commemorate the franchise’s founding in 1933. Although that color combination wasn’t exactly popular, its existence demands acknowledgment.
The Greatest Uniforms in Philadelphia Eagles History
The Eagles transitioned to primarily wearing green in 1937, and the rest is history. Philadelphia has worn many different uniform combinations over the last 90+ years. In 1954, the Eagles introduced the iconic wing logo on the side of the team’s helmet.
While green uniforms and wings on the helmet have become the standard in Philadelphia, it’s worth discussing the best uniform combinations of all time. Which looks are the best Eagles uniforms of all time?
5) Midnight Green Jersey/Midnight Green Pants (1997 and 2002)
The Eagles began the transition to the current midnight green colorway in 1996. It signaled the start of a new era after Jeffrey Lurie purchased the franchise in 1994. While the midnight green look has stuck around in Philadelphia, there was a unique uniform combination that the Eagles only had for two separate seasons.
38 Days until @Eagles Football!
2002: #Duce takes the #Feeley pass 38yds while wearing the Green on Green uniform combo (Wear it again)#FlyEaglesFly #NFL @72TraThomas @CecilMartin1 pic.twitter.com/yvgvYK6GuQ
— All About The Birds (@AATBirds) August 4, 2022
In 1997, the Eagles introduced an all-midnight green uniform combination. While Philadelphia normally wore midnight green jerseys with white pants or white jerseys with midnight green pants, it tried a new look in 1997. It must not have been a popular look, as they were only worn in 1997 and brought back for just one more season in 2002.
4) White Jersey/Black Pants (2021-Present)
Similar to the team’s transition with Lurie as owner in the 1990s, the Eagles were also undergoing a transition in 2021. Second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts was taking over the reins as Philadelphia’s starter and wasn’t afraid to use the new title to his advantage.
The @Eagles are debuting a new uniform combo on Sunday, wearing black pants with their white jerseys for the first time ever. pic.twitter.com/wQwzxku1Z6
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 12, 2021
Hurts jokingly admitted to pushing for the Eagles to wear a never-before-seen uniform combination in 2021. For the first time in franchise history, Philadelphia wore black pants with white jerseys. It was a unique look that is still worn by the Eagles — Hurts’ idea has stuck around in Philadelphia.
3) Black Jersey/Midnight Green Pants (2003-2004)
In the early 2000s, the Eagles established themselves as one of the top NFL teams. Thanks to Jim Johnson’s arrival as Philadelphia’s defensive coordinator in 1999, the Eagles transformed into one of the league’s most feared defenses. Therefore, the team needed to embrace a new look that also invoked fear in opponents.
In 2003, Philadelphia introduced black jerseys. While several other teams around the league already had black jerseys, this new look was complemented by the midnight green accents, which separated the Eagles from the rest of the NFL.
The Eagles black jersey was originally paired with white pants. A few weeks after the Giants game below, they paired the black jersey with green pants against the 49ers. https://t.co/hROUz0zRwW pic.twitter.com/VFuJhXmjPq
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) December 23, 2023
When Eagles fans look at the black uniforms, they often think back to Brian Dawkins crawling out of the tunnel during pre-game introductions. Dawkins was a ferocious player on the field, and the black jerseys became synonymous with his dominance in Philadelphia.
Although the Eagles still wear the black jerseys today, they wore a unique uniform combination in 2003 and 2004. When the black jerseys were first introduced, the Eagles wore them with midnight green pants, which is something that the team hasn’t done since 2004. Philadelphia transitioned to wearing white pants with black jerseys in 2005 following Andy Reid’s arrival.
2) Blackout (2014-Present)
In 2013, the Eagles hired former Oregon head coach Chip Kelly to replace Reid. Although Kelly’s tenure is scarred by his questionable decision-making and the departure of several star players, he did make one huge change for Philadelphia.
During his tenure as the Oregon Ducks head coach, the team wore several different uniform combinations. In his second season in Philadelphia, Kelly thought it was time for a refreshing take on the Eagles. This is when the team officially introduced the “Blackout” combination that included a black jersey and black pants.
Eagles are set to debut their all-black helmets Sunday night, when they host the Green Bay Packers. The helmets, which will be worn for the first time, will be paired with black jerseys and black pants. pic.twitter.com/h66UI2FHzV
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 22, 2022
While Kelly only lasted three seasons as the Eagles’ head coach, his new uniform combination is still alive in Philadelphia. The intimidating look has evolved, as the franchise introduced black helmets to complete the all-black uniforms.
1) Kelly Green (1985-1996)
There’s only one correct answer to the best uniform combination in franchise history. The Eagles introduced the “Kelly Green” uniform in 1985 — the best uniform decision that the team has ever made.
After three consecutive embarrassing seasons, the Eagles needed a new look in 1985. They transitioned from a more muted green to Kelly green that year, and it was an immediate hit.
The Kelly Green that the Eagles will be wearing Sunday night vs. the Dolphins: pic.twitter.com/hF2rSGAZvI
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 19, 2023
Although the team didn’t find success on the field right away, they went on quite a run while wearing the best uniforms in franchise history. Several historic players suited up for the Eagles during this decade-long stretch as well.
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Reggie White, Randall Cunningham, and Jerome Brown are just a few of the historically good players who donned the Kelly Green uniforms in Philadelphia. The look is so timeless that the Eagles submitted a new rule to the NFL, allowing an alternate-colored helmet, just so that the team could bring back the look in 2023.
Sure enough, the revival of the Kelly Green uniforms was an immediate hit in Philadelphia, despite the nearly 30-year gap since the team last wore those iconic colors. While the Eagles haven’t transitioned back to the Kelly Greens full-time just yet, many believe the franchise should make the move permanent.
Given the popularity of Kelly Green’s resurgence in Philadelphia, the classic look will likely be around for a while. Fans clearly appreciate the look, and that’s exactly why it’s the undisputed best uniform combination in franchise history!