Packers' New Uniforms Are Inspired by the Team's Stock Certificates

The Green Bay Packers are debuting brand-new alternate uniforms on October 11 when they host their longtime rival, the Chicago Bears, at Lambeau Field. The uniforms are called 'Rivalries' alternates, and they were made by Nike as part of a special NFL program. What makes these uniforms stand out is where their design came from — the actual stock certificates that fans have bought to help keep the team alive for over 100 years.

The Packers are the only team in the NFL that is owned by the public, not by a single wealthy person or group. About half a million regular people own shares of the team, making them official stockholders. Buying a share doesn't pay you money back, but it makes you a part-owner of one of the most famous teams in football history. The new uniforms are a way of saying thank you to those fans who have helped keep the team going.

So what do the uniforms actually look like? The jerseys are a 'desaturated vintage green,' which means the green color looks slightly faded and old-fashioned. The pants and helmets are 'alabaster,' a fancy way of saying off-white, like the color of aged paper. That off-white color was chosen on purpose because it matches the color of old Packers stock certificates that fans received when they bought their shares.

There are even more details hidden in the design. The numbers on the jerseys have an 'engraved' style, meaning they look like fancy lettering you might see on paper money. Thin stripes on the uniform and helmet copy the border patterns found on the historic stock certificates. Inside the collar of the jersey, the words 'Making History since 1919' are stitched in, honoring the year the Packers were founded — one year before the NFL even existed.

The helmets and jerseys also bring back an old logo. The classic 'GB' logo now appears on the upper left chest of the jersey and on the back of the helmet. This logo is a nod to legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi, who wore it on his practice hats during his time leading the team to multiple championships.

The 'Rivalries' uniforms are part of a bigger Nike program for the NFL. Think of them like the NBA's 'City Edition' uniforms or MLB's 'City Connect' jerseys — special looks designed to connect teams to their cities and histories. Every team that wears a 'Rivalries' uniform must do so in a division rivalry game, which means it's always worn against a team in the same division. Nike says the goal is to celebrate what makes each team and city unique.

Not every NFL team has a 'Rivalries' uniform yet. Last year, teams from the AFC East and NFC West were the first to get them. This year, it's the AFC South and NFC North teams' turn. The other four divisions will get their versions over the next two seasons, and once a team has its uniform, it becomes a permanent part of the team's wardrobe for at least three years.

Here is the schedule of when teams will wear their new 'Rivalries' uniforms this season. The Indianapolis Colts wear theirs on September 27 against the Houston Texans, and the Packers wear theirs on October 11 against the Bears. The Detroit Lions suit up on November 1 against the Minnesota Vikings, while the Jacksonville Jaguars also play that day against the Colts. The Bears close out the year on Christmas Day, December 25, against the Packers.