The Philadelphia Eagles' Kelly Green jerseys will take fans back to an era on Sunday Night Football against Miami Dolphins.
The Eagles are gonna fly now – and they're going to look fly doing it in those uniforms. When Philadelphia unveiled those Kelly Green uniforms on July 31, the hype video was perfect. What era are we returning to?
"When Princes took over Bel-Air and Motown had an East Coast swing," DJ Jazzy Jeff says in the voiceover.
Thank goodness this wasn't leaked 🔥#KellyGreenIsBack pic.twitter.com/5UQj920LGC
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) July 31, 2023
That tells you all you need to know. The Eagles' uniforms are a throwback to the late 1980s and early 1990s – the years that featured Randall Cunningham, Reggie White and Jerome Brown. This is the first time the Eagles have worn this era Kelly Green jersey and it comes for a special occasion.
The Eagles will wear the Kelly Green uniforms in Week 7 against Miami and Week 12 against Buffalo. That means Kelly Green jerseys, gray pants and white-striped socks.
The Eagles (5-1) and Dolphins (5-1) are Super Bowl contenders in 2023. Here is a look at the Kelly Green jerseys, their history and why they remain so popular to this day:
When did the Eagles wear Kelly Green jerseys?
The Eagles have worn different shades of green, but the Kelly Green jerseys they will wear against the Dolphins were worn from 1985-1995.
The Eagles were 96-78-1 in that stretch, which included four head coaches in Marion Campbell (1985), Buddy Ryan (1986-90), Rich Kotite (1991-94) and Ray Rhodes (1994-98).
Philadelphia won 10 or more games in five consecutive seasons from 1988-92 and had another 10-win seasons in 1995. The Eagles, however, struggled in the postseason during that stretch with just two playoff victories in five appearances.
Why did Eagles stop wearing Kelly Green jerseys?
Jeffrey Lurie bought the franchise in 1994, and the Eagles switched to a Midnight Green uniform in 1996. That uniform became synonymous with the Andy Reid-Donovan McNabb era, which would start in earnest in 1999.
The Eagles have stuck with variations of that uniform ever since – with an alternate black uniform that also is popular. Philadelphia has made three Super Bowl appearances – Super Bowl 39, Super Bowl 52 and Super Bowl 57 – in those uniforms.
Why are Eagles' Kelly Green uniforms so popular?
So, if the Eagles had more success in their current uniforms, why are those throwback uniforms so popular?
Those teams – particularly under Buddy Ryan from 1986-90 – were wildly entertaining. Randall Cunningham took over as the starting quarterback. "The Ultimate Weapon" was the 1980s version of Patrick Mahomes II with his play-making skills.
Reggie White – who had 124 sacks in eight seasons with the Eagles – led the "Gang Green" defense. Ryan's outspoken behavior added to the mix, and Philadelphia emerged as a NFC East contender.
My Eagles are wearing Kelly Green jerseys this week. pic.twitter.com/kPmkBqZNak
— Keith Byars (@KAB41) October 20, 2023
When was the last time Eagles wore Kelly Green jerseys?
While the Eagles have worn other throwback uniforms, this is the first time they have worn the Kelly Green uniforms from that time period. According to Eagles.com: "The 2023 season marks the first time in nearly three decades that the team will return to the early '90s-era Kelly Green uniform. The Eagles most recently donned a similar style of Kelly Green in Week 1 of the 2010 season to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the team's 1960 NFL Championship."
The Packers beat the Eagles 27-20 in that Week 1 game in 2010, a game which is memorable because Michael Vick replaced Kevin Kolb.
Will the Kelly Green jerseys be worn more often? That might depend on how the Eagles perform in high-profile games against the Dolphins and Bills, but they will always be trendy in Philadelphia.
