Last season, the NFL rolled out its “Rivalries” program with the AFC East and NFC West getting the first wave of uniforms built around local communities and the look of the cities they represent. In 2026, the league is widening the scope, and the AFC South plus NFC North are next in line.
That means eight more teams are getting in on the project: the Bears, Colts, Jaguars, Lions, Packers, Texans, Titans and Vikings. Each will wear the new uniforms for one in-division home game this season, with the league saying the goal is to “deepen the connection fans and communities have with their football teams.”
And, as always with a uniform rollout, the designs deserve a ranking.
- Jaguars
These are rough. The scripted wordmark across the front is a nice touch, but that’s about where the positives stop. The teal helmets clash hard with the gold facemask, and the Jaguar-printed pants and numbers are, to put it politely, a bold decision.
- Colts
Indianapolis didn’t do much to elevate its look here beyond adding a pretty ugly gray to the mix. The team says the “dark, intense tones” are meant to suggest power and speed, but the end result is one that makes you look away instead of lean in.
- Bears
The old-school font works, and the logo honoring the Halas family is a strong detail. Still, Chicago could have pushed this further. The navy and orange stay so close to the team’s usual palette that the whole thing feels more like a throwback than a uniform tied to the city or its history.
- Lions
There’s something to be said for a clean white uniform, but Detroit’s version doesn’t separate itself enough from what the team already wears on Sundays. The “Detroit” wordmark isn’t especially inventive, and the Honolulu blue, while excellent, is familiar. The hidden Lion eye on the shoulder is the best part of the design.
- Packers
Green Bay leaned into what makes it unique: the fans. The team’s 538,967 shareholders are part of the story here, and the “stock certificate-inspired” numbers and striped sleeves reflect that. With vintage green, yellow and alabaster tones, plus the intertwined “GB” logo on the chest and back of the helmet, the Packers landed on a look that feels classic without being stuck in the past.
- Vikings
Minnesota’s uniform works because the details do the heavy lifting. The Nordic knots on the shoulders, helmet and pant stripes give the set real identity, and the new number style and wordmarks are built to “embrace the Viking identity.” The “Purple Dynasty” base color gives it a fresh layer without losing the team’s core look.
- Titans
Tennessee made a strong case for one of the best kits in the group by bringing Nashville into the design. The helmet stripe and shoulders feature six strings “plugged in and amped, vibrating at full volume,” while the numbers are styled to resemble neon lights for “a city where the signs never go dark.” It’s another standout addition to an already strong uniform closet.
- Texans
Houston hit this one out of the park. Built around the city’s signature blue street tiles, the uniform combines “H-Town Blue,” “Liberty White” and “Battle Red” in a way that looks sharp from top to bottom.
The bullhead on the chest and the “H“ on the helmet let the Texans use both of their logos without overdoing it. These are a 10/10.
In Other News...
Vikings May Have Found The Run Stuffer Brian Flores Needed
Domonique Orange has quickly become one of the more interesting early developments in Vikings camp, and it is easy to see why. The rookie third-round pick out of Iowa State already looks like he can help Minnesota shore up the middle, bringing the kind of size and power that can make life miserable for interior offensive linemen. Analysts have even drawn a familiar comparison to former Vikings nose tackle Pat Williams, a name that still carries weight around these parts for the way he anchored the run defense.
For Brian Flores, that sort of presence is exactly the kind of addition the front would be looking for. Orange has shown the ability to push blockers back and hold his ground in the gaps, which gives Minnesota a chance to get sturdier up front without asking too much of him too soon. The expectation is that he will have a role right away in the rotation, and if those early signs hold, the Vikings may have found a useful run stuffer before his first season even gets rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Are Trying An Unusual Chaz Chambliss Experiment
Chaz Chambliss has become one of the more unusual camp stories around the Vikings this summer, spending time at fullback during joint practices after lining up as an outside linebacker. He also switched his jersey number from 57 to 40, a move that makes him eligible to handle both roles and gives Minnesota some added flexibility as it sorts through the depth chart behind the starters.
Chambliss arrived as an undrafted free agent last offseason and spent most of his rookie year working on special teams, so this is not exactly a sudden reinvention. Still, the Vikings seem to be exploring him as an emergency fullback option, potentially as a backup to rookie Max Bredeson, which is the kind of cross-training that can quietly shape a roster even if it never becomes a headline move on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Vikings Roster Crunch Now Starts With A Quarterback Decision
With the final preseason game still to come, the Vikings are now deep into the kind of roster math that turns every snap into an audition. The most immediate call centers on quarterback, where Kyler Murray has been named the Week 1 starter as Minnesota moves toward the deadline for cutting the roster to 53 players. From there, the staff is still weighing backup options and sorting through several camp battles that have carried into August.
The quarterback choice only sharpens the pressure on the rest of the roster, especially with projected spots still up for grabs on both sides of the ball. Minnesota has seen encouraging stretches in camp and preseason action, but there are still clear questions to settle at key depth spots on offense and defense before the next round of decisions arrives. [Read more 🡒]
