Bills throwback uniforms: Ranking the best jerseys for a potential throwback

Inspired by the Jacksonville Jaguars' recent reveal, we've decided to rank the Buffalo Bills' past uniforms based on how badly we want to see them as throwbacks.

Kyle Silagyi | Jul 18, 2024

Dec 19, 1993; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Buffalo Bills running back Thurman Thomas (34) in action against the Miami Dolphins at Dolphin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings

Though no Lombardi Trophies are on display in the lobby of the team’s Orchard Park headquarters, the Buffalo Bills have a proud history that encompasses six decades, several professional leagues, and generations’ worth of memories. The franchise is one of the NFL’s most passionately supported, the love the Western New York community has shown the franchise and its players over the past 65 years being matched by few fanbases in all of professional sports.

And while the Bills have been in operation for several decades, their branding has largely remained stagnant. The team has worn red, white, and blue since 1962 (its third season in existence), adopting its current ‘charging buffalo’ logo in 1974. Buffalo hasn’t experimented with its look too much throughout its history—that said, the team has taken the field in a handful of different uniforms over the years, with some being received… better than others, to put it kindly.

With the NFL’s recently relaxed uniform and helmet regulations sparking a wave of looks both new and old cascading into the league, many Bills fans have been calling for the team to introduce an alternate jersey that harkens back to a past uniform set. Inspired by the Jacksonville Jaguars' recently revealed throwback unis, we’ve decided to rank every consistently used home jersey in Buffalo history based on how badly we want to see it re-introduced as a contemporary alternate look.

No. 5: Egregious Eyesore

November 4, 2007; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman (7) high fives fans in the stands after the Bills defeated the Bengals 33-21 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports Copyright © 2007 John David Mercer / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

No. Just no.

There’s nothing inherently wrong with a team attempting to modernize, or simply progress, its brand regardless of how iconic its previous look is. That said, a uniform alteration shouldn’t be made unless it’s a clear upgrade… and the Bills' early 21st-century jersey revamp was anything but.

Buffalo introduced navy blue into its color scheme in 2002, departing from the iconic uniforms associated with its dominant early-1990s team in favor of a ‘modern’ dark look that featured hideous navy blue home uniforms. The entire brand refresh was simply poorly executed; the jersey design was boring, there was strange royal blue piping, the colors bled into each other, the primary color was not one historically associated with the team, etc.

They were simply ugly. Not helping matters whatsoever was the poor on-field product offered at the time; the uniforms are associated with one of the worst periods of team history, a stretch in which the Bills consistently whiffed on quarterbacks they marketed as franchise saviors while never consistently being in the postseason conversation, let alone qualifying for the playoffs. The Bills retired these uniforms in 2011, taking on a more 1960s-inspired look; we wouldn’t have any issue if they stay in retirement.

No. 4: Buffalo... Lions?

Buffalo Bills 1960 Unifroms / The Gridiron Uniform Database

An oft-overlooked period of Buffalo’s aesthetic history, the Bills did not feature any red in their uniforms throughout their first two seasons. They instead wore what was essentially a carbon copy of the Detroit Lions jerseys, which was fitting given that team founder Ralph Wilson Jr. was first a minority owner of the Motor City’s NFL franchise. They’re not ugly, they’re just a bit boring and uninspired. The look is also not one historically associated with the Bills, and thus, it’d be odd to see the team introduce a throwback that looked more aesthetically linked to their Great Lakes brethren. It’d be a neat one-off, though.

No. 3: AFL Championship-era Look

Unknown date; Buffalo, NY, USA; FILE PHOTO; Buffalo Bills quarterback Jack Kemp in action at War Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports / Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

After introducing red into its color scheme in 1962 and briefly wearing a uniform with upper shoulder stripes, Buffalo introduced royal blue jerseys with thin red and white lines on the arms in 1964. They’re solid jerseys—and the standing buffalo helmet is iconic—but they served as the inspiration for the team’s 2011 refresh, and the Bills essentially wear what is a modernized version of this look now. Buffalo has already thrown back to this era once, and a modern throwback to this time would result in a largely homogenized uniform closet.

No. 2: Transition to Greatness

Dec 19, 1982; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Buffalo Bills defensive tackle Fred Smerlas (76) on the sideline against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tampa Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports / Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

The Bills thickened their uniform’s arm sleeves in 1975, creating a very solid look that, again, looks quite similar to the team’s current set. Buffalo adopted red socks in 1981 and swapped out its white helmets for red headgear in 1984, establishing what would essentially be a prototype for its most iconic look in history. If the team wants to put half-effort into a throwback uniform, pairing a red helmet and red socks with their current home uniform would essentially serve as a throwback to their 1984–85 look. This isn’t a terrible outcome, but if they’re going to get that close to a beautiful throwback, they may as well just finish the job.

No. 1: Glory Days

Jan 30, 1994; Atlanta, GA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly (12) looks to throw against the Dallas Cowboys during Super Bowl XXVIII at the Georgia Dome. Dallas defeated Buffalo 30-13. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo dropped to a single outlined stripe on each sleeve in 1986, largely keeping this look until its failed 2002 refresh. The single-striped jerseys are perhaps the most iconic in team history for two major reasons; A) they’re beautiful, and B) they’re associated with one of the most celebrated times in team history. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and Bruce Smith donned the uniforms as they led the Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s, and the jerseys are, thus, fondly remembered as fans think back on their memories as young(er) football fans.

The thick arm stripes, the red helmets, the vibrant socks, the nostalgia—these uniforms are simply fantastic. This era is the obvious choice to celebrate with a contemporary throwback look for good reason—these are likely the best jerseys in team history, and it’d be wonderful to see the likes of Josh Allen, Matt Milano, and Dalton Kincaid don them. There seems to be no better time than the 2025 NFL season, which will be the team’s last in Highmark Stadium.

— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —