Jets introduce new uniforms with rebranded look, paying homage to ‘Sack Exchange’ era

Gang Green is honoring its past with some new- or perhaps old-look uniforms.

The New York Jets unveiled their “legacy collection” jerseys on Monday as part of an overall rebrand. The three uniforms – which are legacy green, legacy white and legacy black – are a modernized version of the uniforms that the team wore during the “New York Sack Exchange” era (1979-89).

Additionally, the team is also bringing back the logo it had during the time, working the “JETS” logo on the helmet with “a refined pointed nose of plane.”

The Jets actually debuted the white legacy jerseys last season, introducing them as a secondary look. They wore them in their Week 1 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills on Monday Night Football and in their Week 4 Sunday Night Football lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.

Obviously, the look was popular enough to make the uniform the Jets’ primary jerseys as part of the overall rebrand. The team said the white legacy jersey would be a part of the rebrand when team owner Woody Johnson announced that new looks were coming back in February.

“We work for the fans,” Johnson said in a statement Monday. “They have consistently asked for us to return to our roots and we heard them. The new uniforms are explicitly designed to look and feel like the New York Jets while refreshing the club’s iconic logo – viewed by fans as our most identifiable mark.”

As for the jerseys, the shoulders will be double-striped while the pants are single-striped, remaining the same from the Sack Exchange era.

“Recreating our uniforms, as well as developing a modernized look for the organization signifies our commitment to progress, remaining innovative, and delivering excellence to our players and fans,” Jets president Hymie Elhai said. “Elevating the New York Jets identity with a refreshed uniform embodies the unity, and a timeless sense of the Sack Exchange era, while empowering every player and generations of fans to stand out and stay true to our team’s heritage.”

The Jets’ rebrand comes as they’re hoping to end their 13-year postseason skid. They’ve made numerous moves this offseason to push for the playoffs in 2024 after a 7-10 season in 2023, adding veterans Tyron Smith, Mike Williams and Haason Reddick, among others. They also hold the No. 10 overall pick in next week’s NFL Draft.

The Jets will also hope for some better luck than what they got when they debuted the white legacy jerseys last year. While they got a dramatic victory over the Bills, new star quarterback Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles on the fourth play of first drive with the team, ending his season.