Minnesota Vikings Uniform History, Ranked From Best to Worst

Where do the Vikings' new classic throwbacks rank among the rest of the franchise's uniforms?

The Vikings unveiled new uniforms on Tuesday. They'll wear their classic throwbacks in Week 1 of the 2023 season against Tampa Bay and once a year moving forwards. 

Where do the new ones stack up against other uniforms in franchise history? Here's how I have them ranked, going from best to worst:

1. The Original Uniforms (1960s, 70s, 80s)

Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Dick Raphael-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings' original uniforms are iconic. The simple design, the stripe, the helmets. They were worn by Hall of Famers like Alan Page, Carl Eller, Mick Tingelhoff, and Fran Tarkenton during four Super Bowl appearances. There were minor tweaks here and there, but Minnesota's uniforms remained fairly similar for 45 years, from the franchise's inception in 1961 until a major change in 2006.

2. The Vikings Classics (2023—)

Andy Kenutis/Minnesota Vikings

These are excellent. They've taken the classic look and modernized it a little bit. I love the gray facemasks, the gold trim, and the block lettering. No complaints at all.

3. The 2009 Throwbacks

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

These throwbacks were good, but not as good as the new ones. The biggest issue was that the helmets and jerseys weren't the same shade of purple, which looked a little strange.

4. The Moss/Carter Era (Late 1990s-2005)

The Vikings' jerseys in the late 1990s and early 2000s were still just a variation of the originals, but I think they deserve their own section because of the introduction of the norseman logo on the sleeve.

5. The Modern Look (2013—)

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

There have been some slight modifications, but this has been the Vikings' look for the past decade. At times, they've worn purple on purple or white on white to switch things up. They're solid uniforms, just not as good as the classics.

6. Color Rush/Primetime Purple (2016—)

Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings debuted these in 2016 have worn them in various primetime home games ever since. I like them as a change of pace, but I think the classic home uniforms with white pants and white accents on the jerseys are superior.

7. The Adrian Peterson Era (2006-12)

Rick Scuteri-USA TODAY Sports

Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

I wouldn't say these are bad — I just think every other uniform the Vikings have worn has been better. There's a reason they only lasted for seven seasons before the franchise changed their look again in 2013.

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