Inside The Vikings

Vikings Unveil Fran Tarkenton-Era Classic Throwback Uniforms

In 2023, the Vikings will wear throwback jerseys for the first time in over a decade.

Will Ragatz

In this story:

The Vikings have throwback uniforms again.

During a virtual season ticket member event on Tuesday, the team announced and unveiled a new uniform that's a throwback to the late 1960s, early 1970s Vikings — the "Purple People Eaters" era. They're calling it "The Vikings Classic" uniform. They'll be wearing them during the season opener at U.S. Bank Stadium against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on September 10th.

The jerseys may not look drastically different, but there are quite a few details that stand out. The purple color is a bit different, the gold trim and style accents honor the franchise's jerseys from that era, and even the helmets and pants have some distinctive details. The number lettering is also different.

The Vikings haven't worn throwback jerseys in over a decade. In 2013, the NFL mandated that teams wear only one helmet for safety reasons, but they dropped that rule in 2022 after conducting additional research. That paved the way for the Vikings to release this new uniform, which features a different helmet.

The first season of Vikings football took place in 1961. From 1968 to 1980, the franchise won the NFC Central 11 times and made four trips to the Super Bowl, led by several iconic Hall of Fame players.

These uniforms pay tribute to that era. It's going to be great to see them in action in Week 1.

Thanks for reading. Make sure to bookmark this site and check back daily for the latest Vikings news and analysis all offseason long.

Subscribe to the Inside the Vikings newsletter

Follow Will Ragatz on Twitter

Published
Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Home/News