The Throwback jersey was first introduced to the NFL in the 1994 75th anniversary season and continues to be popular with fans and teams alike. A wide variety of throwback designs have been used in the NFL, with varying degrees of accuracy. Most obvious is the lack of leather helmets in the 1950s uniforms. The best the league could do was go with their hard-shell versions without logos. A more historic license is the display of player names on the retro jersey. Player names on the uniform were first introduced to the NFL with the AFC merger in 1970. But the NFL requires names on all flashbacks under contemporary rules.
Some teams, which have found success with their old uniforms, continue to wear them for the remainder of the season. In fact, the San Francisco 49ers wore their lucky united throwbacks until the 1994/1995 season playoffs. Steve Young and his team even wore that 1955 version in their 49-26 Super Bowl XXIX victory over the San Diego Chargers. The Niners will also return to the successful throwback look for the 2009 season.
Autographed retros are also quite popular with the sports collectibles crowd. An authentic firm can take a $125 T-shirt and multiply its value by 400% or more. The mother of all collectible throwbacks is the autographed jersey worn in the game. These gems cost $800 or more. When buying a collectible, buy from reputable sellers and get a certificate of authenticity. You can also find throwbacks that are officially licensed by the National Football League and come individually numbered; tamper-evident holograms. There are many fraudulent products for sale, so the buyer should be careful.
The vintage jerseys return for the 2009 NFL season. This is the tribute to the 50th anniversary of the AFL, the American Football League. Sixteen AFL Legacy Games will be played with the eight original members of the AFL. The list includes the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs (playing as Dallas Texans), New England Patriots (playing as Boston Patriots), New York Jets (playing as Titans of New York), Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers and Tennessee Titans (played as Houston Oilers).
With a throwback jersey you can keep those old NFL memories alive. Relive that Superbowl victory every time you wear your team colors. In a word, REPRESENT.
Here are some of the timeless best-selling Throwback jerseys:
- Walter Payton – Chicago Bears
- Ray Nitschke – Green Bay Packers
- Joe Namath – New York Jets
- Joe Montana-San Francisco 49ers
- Ken Stabler – Oakland Raiders
- Troy Aikman – Dallas Cowboys
- Mark Bavaro – New York Giants
- Johnny Unitas – Baltimore Colts
- Marion Barber – Dallas Cowboys
- Steve Young-San Francisco 49ers
Is your favorite retro t-shirt on the list?
