Nike Makes It Official

Nike has posted their press release announcing the new alternate uniforms, along with our first look at the full uniform.

As I reported earlier, the Packers will be wearing their tan pants and navy socks with the jersey.

The yoke looks better over pads, not as oversized.

Note also the green facemask; these are the standard helmets with logos and Braisher stripes removed.

The tan pants aren't exactly accurate for the period, but I do like the look.

Here's the press release:

GREEN BAY PACKERS GO OLD SCHOOL WITH NEW NIKE ALTERNATE UNIFORM

Tradition. History. Success. These words define the Green Bay Packers. The Packers own the most championships (13) in National Football League history, and since its founding in 1919, have honored tradition with a distinctive green and yellow uniform aesthetic.

Today, the Packers reveal a new Nike alternate uniform replicating the team’s 1937 design, which has not been worn on the field since 1994. The Packers have won two championships in this uniform that navy blue and gold jersey [sic], the Packers’ predominant color scheme over their first three decades; and their design will include a gold yoke across the shoulders, the distinctive feature of their uniforms from 1937-49. Completing the throwback uniform will be faded gold pants and navy socks.

The fan jerseys will be available for purchase on Nike.com and in select retailers beginning today.

I do love the uniform as a whole, although I wish they had re-designed the jersey rather than just grabbing Starter's imperfect 1994 design.

The "Classic Jerseys" - What Might Have Been

Over on the sportslogos.net boards, user Sterling84v2.0 made this mockup of a more historically-accurate throwback jersey:

Small changes, but so much closer to the original than the 1994 reprise they went with.  

Confirmed - New Packers Throwbacks

The leak was legit - the new Packers alternate uniform will be a throwback to Curly Lambeau's classic uniform, the same jersey as worn in 1994. 

 I'm told that they will be wearing this with the same tan pants as the previous alternate, and blue socks with no stripes (which is the only difference from 1994. 

New Throwbacks Leaked?

It looks like the new Packer throwback uniforms, first confirmed last November, have been leaked:

This indicates a return to the very first throwback uniform worn by the Packers, back in 1994:

And not just the style of the old throwbacks, but the exact same throwbacks themselves.

If true, this is monumentally disappointing. I'm a huge fan of the Curly Lambeau era in Packers history, but the team could do so much better in recreating that classic uniform.

It hits the broad strokes, but the details are all wrong.

For the team to wear an inaccurate throwback in 1994 was one thing. But today, they could do so much better.

The Gridiron Man in His First Hall of Fame

Last night, Brett Favre was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in a ceremony in Green Bay..

This will obviously not be his last induction ceremony—he's an absolute lock for Canton—but this one was all about his sixteen years in Green Bay.

WISN.com has this coverage of the event:

Brett Favre inducted into Packers' Hall of Fame
Favre's No. 4 jersey retired

GREEN BAY, Wis. —Brett Favre headed up the Lambeau Field tunnel, a path that he had walked dozens of times.

He turned left at the end, and then walked through a set of double doors. The Green Bay Packers' locker room was just down the hall on the right.

And that's when it finally it him. He was back at his football home.

The three-time MVP quarterback had his No. 4 jersey retired by the Packers on Saturday night before being inducted into the franchise's Hall of Fame in a ceremony inside Lambeau Field. It was the first time in the team's storied history that a player received both honors at the same time.

"It was like I never left. It was a great feeling. It was kind of weird because I had been here for a couple of hours and just walked off of Lambeau," Favre said before the ceremony. "It's kind of funny how things are triggered. And then it was kind of a sigh of relief almost."

It was a moment that some Packers fans thought would never come, not after the "will he-or-won't he retire" drama that marked the end of his 16-year tenure in Titletown. He was traded to the New York Jets in 2008, then played two more seasons with division rival Minnesota starting in 2009 before calling it quits for good.

Now a reconciliation that has been years in the making is finally complete.

"Congratulations Brett. Welcome home," Packers Hall of Fame President Perry Kidder said while presenting Favre with a ring and bronzed football.

Fans, many of them wearing No. 4 jerseys, gave him standing ovations. Family members, friends, along with former teammates and coaches watched while Favre spoke for about 50 minutes, pausing at least once to control his emotions.

"Yes, I have been away from Green Bay for quite a while. A lot of people that I am close to have sort of forgotten the body of work" with the Packers, Favre told attendees. "Simply because of what has happened and the departure when I left. Of course, that is all forgotten. Today is a special day."

His hair is graying. But in a way, it was as if Favre had never left.

He cracked jokes. He held the audience captive with locker room stories, and vivid anecdotes of former team officials, coaches and teammates. He resumed his love affair with fans.

Tailgaters milled around parking lots as if they were getting ready for a Bears game. More than 67,000 people were expected to watch the ceremony on video boards inside the stadium bowl.

Favre said he would try not to get emotional on Saturday night. He was fighting back tears by the time he was addressing fans on the field by microphone on a sticky afternoon before his induction ceremony.

Chants of "MVP! MVP! MVP!" ringed the stadium.

"The reception, it was hard to put in words," Favre said. "Boy, was that moving."

Former general manager Ron Wolf and former coach Mike Holmgren were among those who feted Favre. The quarterback was introduced at the event by his former roommate, center Frank Winters.

A banner with Favre's retired number was unfurled high above the stadium atrium. Favre will return to Lambeau on Thanksgiving night, when his No. 4 will join other retired numbers on the stadium's interior facade in a ceremony during the Packers' game against the Bears.

Holmgren likened Favre to a son he never had. Wolf said it was an honor to laud "and I realize I'm biased -- the best player ever to play for the Green Bay Packers."

Wolf acquired Favre in 1992 from the Atlanta Falcons for a first-round draft pick. It was the move that would spark the revival of one of the league's marquee franchises.

What followed was a slew of records, including the NFL mark for quarterback durability of 297 straight regular-season games. The Packers won the Super Bowl in 1996, beating New England 35-21. They returned to the Super Bowl the following season, losing to Denver 31-24.

"I understand that this night is 'about me,' but I would choose to say it's about us," Favre said, gesturing to those sitting behind him and referring his teammates. "And that's why I'm here today. It has nothing to do with me. But again, I'm extremely honored and that's probably an understatement."