The National Football League is elevating the concept of divisional clashes in the upcoming 2025 season. Aiming to amplify the significance of prominent contests between some of the league’s most fierce competitors, franchises hailing from the American Football Conference East and National Football Conference West will showcase special “rivalry” jerseys for particular showdowns.
The league officially presented these unique uniforms on the past Thursday, and they were met with enthusiastic responses from the fan base. The Buffalo Bills, in particular, garnered considerable attention with a streamlined, pristine white uniform intended to mirror the snowy conditions frequently encountered in the region during the month of December.
The Bills’ alternate uniforms are notable as perhaps the most significant divergence from a team’s typical attire. The Miami Dolphins modified the dominant color of their jersey, adopting a black scheme. However, the subtle inclusions of orange and teal woven into the uniform ensure its recognition as a Dolphins jersey.
The New England Patriots and the New York Jets followed a comparable path in designing their rivalry jerseys. Both feature colors traditionally linked with those franchises, albeit with a slightly altered tone.
The Jets chose a deep green shade as the primary color for their rivalry jerseys.
The Patriots opted for a darker, more subdued hue of blue.
Each club within the AFC East will sport these uniforms once during the 2025 season when facing their primary adversary. The Dolphins will initiate the debut of the rivalry jersey, wearing it in a Sept. 29 game against the Jets.
The Bills are scheduled to showcase their rivalry jersey on Oct. 5 against the Patriots. New England will then exhibit their own rivalry uniform on Nov. 13 in a game against the Bills.
The Jets will conclude the AFC East’s use of the rivalry uniform. This appearance is slated for Dec. 7 against the Dolphins.
Shifting to the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers opted for a more pronounced restyling, placing emphasis on the color black.
The Los Angeles Rams took a slightly more conservative approach, utilizing a shade of blue so deep that it evokes the ambiance of midnight.
Both the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals elected to feature white jerseys, with each implementing their distinctive design elements. In the case of the Seahawks, this incorporates stripes situated near the shoulder pads and a helmet described by the team’s website as “iridescent green with a metallic chrome finish.”
The Cardinals’ jerseys incorporate speckled patterns intended to reflect the sandy and clay-rich terrain characteristic of the Arizona desert landscape.
Among these NFC West teams, the Cardinals will be the first to unveil their alternate uniform, set to do so during their Sept. 25 game against the Seahawks.
The Rams are next in line, planning to wear their rivalry uniform against the Seahawks on Nov. 16. Seattle will have their chance just over a month later, donning the rivalry uniform against the Rams on Dec. 18.
The 49ers are scheduled as the final team to exhibit their rivalry uniform, planned for Jan. 4 against the Seahawks.
Teams belonging to the AFC East and NFC West are the exclusive participants in the use of rivalry uniforms this season. However, every other division is anticipated to receive its own sets of rivalry uniforms in the subsequent years, according to information from ESPN. The AFC South and NFC North are projected to introduce their rivalry jerseys in 2026, while the NFC East and AFC West will follow in 2027, and the AFC North and NFC South will conclude the roll-out in 2028.
