Whoever was in charge of designing the Browns’ uniforms might not have a job for long, because apparently the team already hates the new look.
Less than two years after unveiling a completely new uniform, the Browns are already looking to start over.
At the NFL owners meeting this week, Browns co-owner Dee Haslam told ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi that there were multiple problems with the team’s latest look.
Dee Haslam confirmed to me another full #Browns uniform re-do could be in the works soon as new window opens in 2020.
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) March 27, 2017
For one, there was a general feeling that the team’s nine uniform combinations were too busy. Haslam also noted that there’s an issue with the fabric that makes the jerseys tight and uncomfortable for the players. That might explain their record last season.
The Browns and Nike spent roughly two years designing the new uniforms, which is why it’s such a shock that Cleveland might already want to replace them. The problem with getting new uniforms is that it’s a long process.
Under NFL rules, you can’t replace a uniform more than once every five years, meaning the Browns are stuck with their current duds until the end of the 2019 season. Also, it takes two years to design a new uniform, meaning the Browns likely won’t start planning for their new look until after the 2017 season.
“We’ve talked about it, but we haven’t conceptualized what that might be, and we have to work with the NFL on it,” Haslam said.
When the team does eventually go through the two-year design process, don’t look for them to make the same mistakes they made when they changed their uniform in 2015.
“We’ve learned a lot through that process,” Haslam said. “We will go through the process probably again.”
As for what the new uniforms might look like, Haslam didn’t want to give away any secrets.
“We’re the Cleveland Browns. We stand for a certain thing,” Haslam said. “I can’t imagine doing anything too crazy, can you? I can’t.”
Apparently, there is one crazy thing that might happen. A team source told Grossi that the Browns are “seriously looking” at the possibility of dumping their orange helmet and going with a white one. The team wore a white helmet between 1946 and 1949. The team also happened to win four straight world championships between 1946-49, so maybe going in that direction is the right move.
You can see what all three of the Browns’ current uniforms look like below (Ironically, none of the three players who modeled the uniform in 2015 are still on the team). The all-orange look clearly isn’t popular because the Browns haven’t worn it a single time during their two seasons with the new uniforms.
