Ranking NFL's alternate, throwback helmets & uniforms for 2023, from Bucs' Creamsicles to Colts' new look

Bill Bender

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Ranking NFL's alternate, throwback helmets & uniforms for 2023, from Bucs' Creamsicles to Colts' new look image

Are you a fan of throwback or alternate helmets?

When it comes to the NFL, the answer can be both. Several NFL teams have unveiled alternate and throwback looks ahead of the 2023 season — including one stretch all the way back to the 1940s for one franchise.

A few other teams are putting an alternative spin on their uniforms this season. The Cardinals are undergoing a complete redesign this season, so they did not make the list.

What about the rest of the teams? We ranked them, of course.

MORE: What to know about Lions' retro 'Honolulu' blue lids & logo

NFL throwback, alternate uniforms rankings

The Sporting News will update rankings as more teams unveil their throwback and alternate uniforms.

1. Buccaneers

Best throwback uniform? Yes, the Creamsicle uniforms from the 1970s are back in style. Best hype video for a throwback uniform release? Yeah, Tampa Bay did that, too. We're always excited to see Bucco Bruce return to the field on those white helmets, too.

2. Eagles

The Eagles have officially released their uniforms, and that Kelly green look that looked so good on Randall Cunningham and Reggie White has returned.

3. Seahawks

Find your old Steve Largent jersey, fast. The silver helmets still look good, and that subtle green in the uniform pops with the blue. It still looks good all these later — even if the current uniforms have defined the franchise's modern era. Largent has to raise the "12" for this game, right?

4. Titans

Is that oil? Sure is. The franchise moved from Houston to Memphis in 1997, and then to Nashville in 1999 — the same year it changed the nickname from Oilers to Titans. For two games this season, folks in Tennessee will get to luv them some old-school blue.

5. Jets 

The Legacy White uniform is a nod to the New York Sack Exchange; the 1980s teams that featured Mark Gastineau and Joe Klecko. Aaron Rodgers' arrival has created more hype around the Jets this season, and it will be fun to see them in this vintage look. 

6. Lions

The Lions, a popular NFC sleeper pick this season, are celebrating their 90th season in style by dusting off the franchise's logo from 1961-69. The unique color has never been used on a NFL uniform, and this will pair well with Lions' all-gray uniforms. This is the best fresh alternate uniform so far.

MORE: Browns' throwback white lid, explained

7. Vikings

It's not a radical departure for the Vikings, and it's going to conjure up memories of the "Purple People Eaters" teams that reached the Super Bowl four times. The gray face-mask is always a nice touch, and these uniforms are better than the usual look — but not by much.

8. Browns

LeBron James approved of these uniforms, which are a tribute to the Marion Motley years in Cleveland. The Browns wore white helmets in their first six seasons before switching to the orange look in 1952. Cleveland will wear these uniforms for three games this season. Are these flashy? No, but that's not the Browns' style.

9. Broncos

The Broncos have a white helmet for the 2023 season. The old-school logo is great, but why not just bring the Elway-80s look? This is a misfire where throwback beats alternative. 

10. Colts

The Colts unveiled their "Indiana Nights" look, which they will rock in Week 7 against the Browns. This follows a trend in recent seasons in which teams opt for a black alternate helmet (six teams did it last year). The uniform looks more like the Kentucky Wildcats — and that just doesn't seem right in Indiana.

MORE: Breaking down Seahawks' '90s-era throwback jersey, helmet

Bill Bender

Bill Bender Photo

Bill Bender graduated from Ohio University in 2002 and started at The Sporting News as a fantasy football writer in 2007. He has covered the College Football Playoff, NBA Finals and World Series for SN. Bender enjoys story-telling, awesomely-bad 80s movies and coaching youth sports.