The Chicago Bears will be sporting a new look in 2012 thanks to Nike, the new uniform provider for the NFL. The overall look of the new uniforms is not a drastic change, but a closer look reveals some interesting features. Here’s the release right from Nike’s website:
"The Chicago Bears celebrate a return to greatness and rich tradition by elevating the significance of an important symbol on the Nike Elite 51 Uniform. To honor this renewed commitment, the thick white stripes of the George S. Halas era are restored to prominence on the sleeves, after getting smaller over the years. A revolutionary player, inventor and coach, the return of the GSH stripe represents the never-wavering memory of Halas’ impact on the Bears’ community. His legacy has never been stronger, and the bold stripes are a reminder of his legacy. In addition, the TV numbers move up to the shoulders, for maximum visual impact."
Hit the jump to see details of the changes.
Front view of the Bears new Nike uniform.
Rear view of the new Nike Bears uniform.
Reinforcement around the neck to prevent the shoulder pads from popping out easily. Jay Cutler should be happy.
Zoned mesh helps keep the players cool.
The numbers on the new Nike jerseys don’t get sewn onto the jersey like the old style. They actually get sewn into the cloth to reduce weight. Yes, seriously.
The numbers move up to the top of the shoulders to make way for a new larger GSH logo on the left sleeve to honor George Halas.
High tech pads are built into the pants and jerseys and are customizable to suit each players’ needs.
Dry technology to help players stay dry.
Even aircraft grade aluminum for the belt buckle to reduce weight. How about Velcro? That stuff is pretty light weight? I guess it goes to show no detail is too small when it comes to Nike and the NFL.
George McCaskey , Bears President and grandson of team founder George Halas chimed in with the family’s take on the new uniforms:
"“The first thing they assured us was, ‘We’re not trying to change the Bears uniform.’ That was a tremendous relief to us,” McCaskey said. “The look of our team is extremely important to our family. We didn’t want to deviate from the classic, Chicago Bears look.”Nike worked closely with Bears head equipment manager Tony Medlin, who consulted with the team’s players. And while the jerseys are lighter and tighter, they also feature something important to Bears ownership: the presence and prominence of the GSH patch, which stands for George S. Halas, the organization’s owner and a professional football pioneer.“Our family’s biggest concern was, we wanted to make sure the GSH on the left sleeve went back to its original size,” McCaskey said. “It had gotten smaller. Now, it’s restored to its original, 1984 size, so we’re very excited about that.”"
Nike lists the basic “Game” jersey at $100, the Limited jersey (a hybrid between the basic and elite) at $135 and the Elite jersey at $250. Game jerseys will be available in time for the NFL draft if you pre-order now while the Limited and Elite jerseys don’t come out until June 29th.
What do you think? Are you going to rush out and get a new jersey? If so, which player would you deem “jersey” worthy? Let’s hear your comments.