The Bucs spent last season going 4-12, getting rid of a likely insane head coach, and generally making Tampa Bay unhappy. This season is a new start though; Doug Martin is healthy, the proven coach Lovie Smith is at the helm, and they get to wear brand-new uniforms. The only problem is that they are an absolute monstrosity.
The uniforms look more like a fictional futuristic football team from a movie’s kit, instead of a true NFL team’s gear. The Bucs have always stood out in their jerseys, most recently the pewter on the helmet and pants, and less recently, the ever-popular (but illegal) creamsicle throwbacks. This new look kept the pewter (but made it unrecognizable) and dropped a bit of the orange into the shirt, but they are going to have a hard time recovering from the way-too-large logo on the helmet and the alarm clock-style numbers that are supposed to harken back to “historical Buccaneer blade carvings.”
Unless the management is setting the Bucs’ bar intentionally low to prevent the shattering of expectations (not a terrible idea), the new uniforms will go down as a huge misstep. Not the hugest, but not the smallest either.
Photos by Tampa Bay Buccaneers