Are the Vikings bringing back 'Purple People Eaters' uniforms?
When the NFL allowed teams to have a secondary helmet to be worn during games, it opened a new world of possibilities. While some teams, like the Chicago Bears, took it a step too far (lol), others like the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers opted to bring back their iconic throwback uniforms in 2023.
We may be able to add the Vikings to that list as they sent out an e-mail on Friday for season ticket holders to attend a virtual Q&A with C.J. Ham and Fran Tarkenton with the promise of "a special announcement."
It appears the #Vikings will announce their 1960s throwback uniforms on Tuesday, July 18. #Skol pic.twitter.com/JMTd5kxDIi
— Cappin’ Cam (@cappingcam) July 14, 2023
Odds are the announcement isn't that Tarkenton is making a comeback and Ham already signed an extension last offseason, so uniforms are the most logical choice here, but what could they be?
The Vikings could be rolling out their white uniforms from the late-90s which were made famous by John Randle, Cris Carter and Randy Moss. There's also the chance they could be rolling out a white helmet based on the success of last year's "White Out" game against the New York Giants.
But Tarkenton's presence suggests a deeper throwback that could mean a return of the original purple and white jerseys.
The Vikings had gold trim around the white numbers on their purple jerseys when they were founded in 1961, but removed the gold in 1969. The purple and white jerseys became synonymous with the "Purple People Eaters" that were led by Tarkenton and appeared in four Super Bowls during the 1970s.
The Vikings brought back the gold trim in 1998 and went to this notorious look in the mid-2000s, but the Vikings wore the Purple People Eaters uniforms as an alternate from 2007-11 before scrapping the uniform when the NFL deemed that teams could only have one helmet shell in an effort to reduce head injuries in 2013.
The Vikings' current uniforms, which were introduced the same season, have brought some of the old aspects from the original uniforms back, but fans still clamor for the throwbacks and it appears they could get them as soon as this season.
We'll all find out soon enough. Maybe as soon as this coming Tuesday.
