If you’re planning to rep your team at Levi’s Stadium this Sunday for Super Bowl LX, you might want to double-check your jersey before heading out - and maybe pack a needle and thread, just in case.
While the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks are busy prepping for a Super Bowl showdown that few saw coming, fans are dealing with an off-field issue that’s stealing some of the spotlight: the jerseys.
Fanatics, the NFL’s official outfitter, has found itself in hot water this week after a wave of complaints about both the availability and quality of Patriots and Seahawks jerseys. The company issued a public apology after fans flooded social media with photos and frustrations, pointing out issues on their $160 replica jerseys - from crooked Super Bowl patches to colors bleeding through and fabric so thin it looks translucent under the lights.
“We’ve let Patriots and Seahawks fans down with product availability - we own that and we are sorry,” Fanatics said in a statement posted to X.
The company chalks the problem up to “unprecedented” demand. And to be fair, there’s some logic there.
Both the Patriots and Seahawks missed the playoffs last season, so not many were anticipating a deep postseason run from either squad - let alone a Super Bowl berth. But after improbable turnarounds, jersey sales have exploded.
According to Fanatics, sales have surged nearly 400% since Thanksgiving compared to the same time last year.
To their credit, Fanatics says they ramped up production and ordered more jerseys for both teams than ever before. But even that wasn’t enough to keep up with the surge.
The result? A shortage of team-color jerseys just days before the biggest game of the year - and a lot of unhappy fans.
And it’s not just about supply. The quality of the jerseys that did make it into fans’ hands has come under fire, too.
Viral posts have shown side-by-side comparisons of jerseys with mismatched patch placements, uneven stitching, and material that looks more like a costume than NFL gear. One fan’s post summed it up with a simple question: “$160 for this???”
That’s a tough look for a league that’s spent months polishing every detail of the Santa Clara spectacle, from the turf to the halftime show. In a season where both the Patriots and Seahawks pulled off remarkable turnarounds - rising from last year’s afterthoughts to this year’s NFC and AFC champs - the commemorative gear meant to mark the moment feels like it missed the memo.
In response, Fanatics is encouraging customers to consider “alternate” jerseys, which the company says are identical to Nike’s standard replica “Game” jersey and built on the same template the NFL has used since 2012. For fans who aren’t satisfied, returns are free through the Fanatics app, NFL Shop, or official team stores.
It’s a frustrating hiccup in what should be a celebration. For Patriots and Seahawks fans, this Super Bowl run is the stuff of dreams - the kind of season you want to remember forever. But if you're hoping to wear that memory stitched across your chest, you might want to inspect the stitching first.