49ers unveil black alternate uniform

San Francisco 49ers new alternate uniform came out black, with red numbers and lettering.

The first alternate uniform in San Francisco 49ers' history went dark during a reveal on NFL draft day.

Specifically, the new uniform came out black, with red numbers and lettering, presenting a bold contrast on the jersey.

The black tops and pants have the red accent throughout, with stripes on the sleeve and down the pant and a small 49ers wordmark above the numerals on the front. The bright red also highlights the red and white socks, part of the team's traditional look.

The team will wear its normal helmet with the new uniform, per NFL rules banning the use of alternate helmets.

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The red numbers on a black jersey look comes from the San Francisco practice field, a look quarterbacks have worn for the 49ers in practice. And black as a San Fran color isn't anything new; it's been an accent since the 1950s.

The 49ers last made changes to their uniforms prior to the 2009 season, the team says, when San Francisco reintroduced the classic color of the 49ers and brought gray back to the helmet’s facemask.

Linebacker NaVorro Bowman, among a group of players involved in working with the team, the NFL and uniform provider Nike on the new design, says in a team release that “all I can say is we won’t have to worry about how we look, because we’ll know we look good.”

NFL teams are allowed to wear alternate uniforms twice per season.

Courtesy of Nike

Courtesy of Nike

Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, design and gear for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.