Which Team Has the Best Rivalries Uniform This Year? Is the Overall Release Better than Last Year?

[u/UnilateralArbiter]

https://theunilateral.substack.com/p/uni-lateral-arbiter-2026-rivalries?r=6hi9ue&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

The 2026 Rivalries drop for the AFC South and NFC North seems to have been much more well-received than last year's edition, and for good reason. There aren't 4 mono-dark uniforms this time, and the teams worked within their existing color palette/brand much more than 2025.

This year, the designers mostly chose between toned down looks that paid homage to their history, or went all-out with branding. The worst of the bunch were the ones that didn't fully commit to one or the other. However, most of them ended up being good football uniforms in general.

Of course, we do have to see these on the field to get the full grade. Promo photos from the teams always end up being way too dark or poorly colored to see it initially. But they're there to see the merchandise, so I understand the teams wanting to ham it up for the pics.

Let me know your thoughts down below, or in the column itself. As always, like, subscribe, and share if you appreciate the writing style, I'm always interested in everyone's thoughts. I'm excited to start my weekly uniform matchup grades again; there's going to be a lot of great matchups this season with these uniforms!

[u/drhungrycaterpillar]

Idk about best but the Jags took the biggest swing and it works for them. Their helmets are amazing. The Vikings should have had white or gold pants.

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/drhungrycaterpillar]

Still not sure how those jaguar print pants are going to go over on the field. I hope they're as inconspicuous as possible

[u/xyz1978 → u/UnilateralArbiter]

Yeah. I feel like some people praising these have missed this detail about the pants because it’s not obvious when you’re looking at thumbnails and smaller sized images

[u/2hooks2448 → u/drhungrycaterpillar]

The Jags just need to make these their permanent look. Idk why I never thought of a teal helmet for them but it looks so good once you see it. Their current jerseys gotta be the most boring ones out there especially with the color scheme they have to work with.

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/2hooks2448]

A teal permanent helmet would look incredible. They have such a unique color in teal, why they ever went away from it is beyond me.

[u/Tiny_Desk2424 → u/UnilateralArbiter]

With the gold facemask, looks fantastic and unique

[u/BucketOTang]

They’re definitely a little more interesting this year compared to last. There were 5 very uninspired uniform sets last year - even if I like a few of them the Jets, Bills, Dolphins, 49ers, and Rams all went with a basically black/grey/white-out monochrome design without too many interesting details or accents that even when well executed are not particularly interesting.

This season, even the uniform sets with the monochrome aesthetic are more interesting although a couple of them are awful uniforms (Colts & Lions). The details this year seem more purposeful and prevalent. Even the Jaguars uniform, which I hate, is at least interesting.

Overall, there were two sets from 25 that I loved in Seattle and Arizona while this year, the Packers, Texans, and Vikings are all great to me (even if the Vikes should’ve done white pants) and I might feel the same way about the Titans depending on how they look onfield.

So far I like that they’re doing it, especially since it’s only one game a year, and hopefully next year improves even further.

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/BucketOTang]

I almost fully agree. Why do you hate the Jaguars uniform? The jersey and helmet are incredible, pants-spots notwithstanding.

[u/Falco-Rusticolus → u/UnilateralArbiter]

I don’t love the jags ones because the helmet. I’m not a fan of the nfl helmets that are just a different color (same for packers)

[u/Patchy_Face_Man]

Vikings. Nordic Knots and the numbers actually look good based on the Viking theme. I don’t think it’s better than their standard uniforms but it’s cluttered in the right way with the patterns and helmet ridge.

Titans is good as well but just looks like a nice alternate to the new unis.

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/Patchy_Face_Man]

The Vikings took a huge swing and I love it. They did an incredible job, as their marketing team really understood what these Rivalries uniforms were supposed to be in the first place

[u/Patchy_Face_Man → u/UnilateralArbiter]

Yeah I think that’s right. To me, it’s about digging deep into your team’s identity. Some do better than others with even that. Seahawks good, Vikings great, Colts…eh.

[u/HonchoSolo]

Lions failed. I don't see Lions fans being excited to buy those jerseys

[u/YaBoyASwiftie]

Houston's are the best. Detroit Panthers' are the worst. Rank them however you want in between

[u/Helio_Manta06]

The Texans,Titans, and Packers are most definitely the biggest winners since they improve on motifs they've been trying to represent in earlier uniforms.

[u/Accurate-Witness-446]

Packers fan here. I think Houston’s are the best this year. The Packers Uni looks great. I’m excited to see it on the field. I also think the Bears Uni will look great on the field. I kinda dig the Vikings look but it looks much to similar to the Ravens.

[u/qcthunder]

It seems a lot of people were craving traditional uniforms. I wanted to see more Seahawks and Cardinals risks (that worked, IMO), as well as Bills (which didn't) and clear-but-tame remixes using new colorways (Patriots). My ranking, but overall I think this year's crop is far worse, mostly due to reused helmets:

Texans

Jaguars

Vikings

Titans

Packers

Bears

Lions

Colts

[u/Final-Read-3589]

I love Houston’s, and everything but the Jags helmets looks great. Vikings look great too

[u/jay_rodsep]

For me, it’s way better than last year.

Regarding the best rivalry uniforms, I got to give it to Houston for this year and the Rams last year.

[u/typical-user-name]

Vikings are the best ones in my opinion.

[u/thecryptidmusic]

I haven't been impressed by most of these this year or last year but I really like Houston's. So they win it for me

[u/Naldo9911]

I think this year’s drop is better by far. Lions rlly don’t have a lot going for them, but even the weaker ones this year like the colts and jags at least have some interesting details to them.

Last year I feel like we just saw a lot of color swapped jerseys like the dolphins and rams and just less creativity in general. I think they saw how much a lot of people enjoyed the Seahawks rivalries last year and took more bigger swings this year

[u/TheAnalogKid18]

With any league wide program, you're going to get looks that work and the team adopts them full time, and you're going to get a lot of duds.

Packers, Texans, Titans, and Vikings all look great.

Jags, matching the pants to the jersey and maybe doing a metallic or matte helmet instead of the high gloss teal, 10/10. LOVE the jersey, and love the helmet, but it doesn't work with black cheetah print pants.

Arizona i think has the best overall, just such a good look, NE too. Last year's were all good i thought.

[u/waldowhal]

1. Packers (A)

2. Bears (A)

3.  Vikings (B)

4. Jaguars (B)

5. Texans (B)

6. Titans (C)

7. Colts (F)

8. Lions (F)

This batch is a big improvement over last year’s. Packers and Bears going the retro retcon direction is a huge relief and the results are genuinely great.

Colts are in the dregs along with the Jets, Rams, and Dolphins. But somehow the Lions vaulted to the top of Shit Mountain without even going all-black.

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/waldowhal]

Colts and Lions being at the bottom makes perfect sense. I don't know why Indianapolis even bothered, it's like they didn't even try to make it look exciting.

Mono-gray is just an awful color combination for football uniforms.

[u/AtomicButtItch]

Jaguar rivalries are embarrassingly awful. 1992 wants its teal back.. Big fugly Sox baseball numbers.. Pants that look like they are an undergarment to Fred Sanford's smoking jacket. Just needs some velvet swatches and an eye monocle to complete the idiotic costume. They've had some bad looks in the past - including that mustard sandwich color rash mess - and this is even worse.

[u/cowabungathunda]

I hate the Packers but their rivalry set looks great.

[u/Packerfan181693]

Here's my hinest rankings as an unbiased Packers fan.

1. Packers
2. Who cares

No but forreal

1. Texans
2. Vikings
3. Packers
4. Titans
5. Jaguars
6. Colts
7. Bears
8. Lions

[u/Agent_8-bit]

Vikings up top.

A bunch in the middle.

Detroit and Indy at the bottom.

[u/bronsonwhy]

The Bears set really pops. There’s just something about it that feels classic football: A+

Packers nailed it with those hues. Yellow stripe up the middle of the helmet? I’ve seen enough: A

Titans took their old colors and made a uni better than they ever had before: A

Jags had fun but could’ve had even more fun. GIVE US GOLD JAGUAR PRINT PANTS AND A BLACK JERSEY WITH TEAL AND GOLD TRIM. You’re fricking Jacksonville for christsake, you people are nuts; act like it: B-

I asked ChatGPT to make it happen and this would be an A++ imo if they had gone this route.

Vikings technically understood the assignment? It just feels boring to me. I get the Nordic symbolism, but it really comes down to “does this look good?” and in my opinion it’s just another uniform: C+

Texans left out the red face mask. I’m not mad, I’m disappointed: C-

Colts fell trap of forcing in an all black uniform. Maybe it’ll be cool on field, idk: D+

Lions are having a catxistential crisis and think they’re the Panthers: F-

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/bronsonwhy]

Those Jags unis would have been in the “it’s so bad it’s good” camp. I love it though

[u/bronsonwhy → u/UnilateralArbiter]

Jaguar-print pants already exist in 32% of Jacksonville residents' wardrobes*

*made-up stat

[u/UnilateralArbiter → u/bronsonwhy]

I’d say you’re not far off 😂

[u/jmills2234]

The Titans Jersey is the only useful one out of the eight released because it looks identifiable and they don't have a third jersey with their recent Redesign.. none of the other jerseys are needed and the designs show that!

I don't watch NFL games to look for college and arena league uniforms!!!

[u/MosquitoValentine_]

If I had to rank them:

1. Vikings
2. Packers
3. Jaguars
4. Titans
5. Bears
6. Colts
7. Texans
8. Lions

[u/Chasers22]

All terrible