Image Courtesy of Vikings.com. Fullback C.J. Ham debuted the Minnesota Vikings new alternate uniforms on July 18, 2023, via stream event. Minnesota will wear the uniforms on September 10th, 2023, at home versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Minnesota Vikings are notorious for ‘not doing much’ with uniforms tweaks — while the rest of the NFL seems to go hog wild with limitless renditions.
But on Tuesday, Minnesota got with the times — or at least threw the times back 50 years — with a throwback uniform reveal.
The new-but-old uniforms will pay homage to the Purple People Eater era of Vikings football, which spanned from the late 1960s through the 1970s. The helmets appear unchanged, aside from gray facemasking. The logo — the horns — are untouched. But the jersey pattern, number-lettering, and style are indeed a clock turnback to 50+ years ago.
And in the immediacy of the reveal, fans gushed — so much so that one universal reaction was undeniable: The team should make the new threads permanent.
Typically when a team makes any changes to a uniform or helmet, a faction of fans screams foul. But such is not the case for Minnesota’s trek back into time. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a sincere fan — and not a designated anti-Vikings troll — with an adverse opinion.
Twitter user Daniel Taylor replied to the Vikings tweet above, “I wish I could like this more than once.”
@TJF80 on Twitter responded, “These should be the full-time jerseys.” Eric Krupka agreed, “Make these the full time home uniform,”
Dane Storrusten retweeted, “Vikings closet just got even stronger with these classics. Best closet in the NFC?”
@Jezza182 followed suit, “Oh sweet baby Jesus I need one????????????,”
VikingsTwitter member @beefdaddy4 retweeted, “In love with these throwbacks. Honestly, they should be the standard uniform. The numbers look so much better than the current curved numbers.”
Parker Hageman tweeted, “Make them the jerseys. Full time. Don’t overthink it.”
Outside of color rush uniforms, which are also called Primetime Purple, the ‘new’ throwbacks to the 1960s mark the most significant throwback tweak to Minnesota’s attire in 11 years. And, to reiterate, the Vikings will wear the throwbacks for a single game.
Perhaps the club will eventually get the memo and make the old uniforms a full-time arrangement.
The Vikings begin training camp on Sunday. Rookies report to Eagan that day, and everyone else arrives on July 25th.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.