The Steelers are turning the clock all the way back to their inception this season.
Pittsburgh revealed a new throwback uniform on Monday, debuting a look that leans heavily on the first attire worn by the original Steelers in 1933, back when they were known as the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Steelers will wear the throwback kit in Week 8 against the Packers.
For those not familiar with that unique uniform, these threads might be considered aggressive. But in keeping with modern uniform regulations, the Steelers softened the most prominent element from this throwback: the Pittsburgh city crest, which had previously been placed front and center on the chest and has since swapped places with white block jersey numbers outlined in black.
Instead, the crest will appear on the left shoulder of the uniform as a key feature that honors the past without commanding the viewer's full attention. That job is already handled by the gold jersey, which features a black striping pattern that includes diagonal lines along the collar and plenty of vertical stripes beneath it.
It's unique. Truly, it's the stuff of 1933 football, back when teams like the Pottsville Maroons and Dayton Triangles were only a few years beyond their moves to bigger cities. Some aggressive striping on a uniform wasn't a problem, but a feature; remember, this is the same club that rolled out the bumblebee uniforms after these.
Oversized black block numbers grace the solid gold back of the jersey, much like they appeared when the Steelers first rolled out these throwbacks during the NFL's 75th anniversary celebration season of 1994. Back in 1994, they paired these with their standard but logo-less black helmet. This time around, the Steelers have taken some creative liberty in order to tie the kit together and simultaneously join the alternate helmet movement.
When the Pirates (Steelers) first wore these uniforms, they paired them with gold leather helmets. Instead of following the faux-leather approach other teams have adopted over the last 15 or so years (looking at you, Green Bay), the Steelers saw it as an opportunity to mix in another beloved helmet of a past era, combining a matte yellow shell, single black stripe, the standard Steelers logo and a gray facemask into an ensemble that will honor both the 1930s and the 1960s.
It will be the second time the Steelers have paired a throwback uniform with a gold helmet in the 21st century; Pittsburgh wore a similar gold shell with a throwback uniform seen between 2007 and 2011, but with a black facemask.
We cannot forget about the trousers, of course. The Steelers will wear beige pants in an effort to mirror how they appeared in 1933, a feature that tends to be common among throwbacks originating from this era.
Much like the bumblebee uniforms, these will undoubtedly inspire a wide range of reactions online. That doesn't deter the Steelers, though, who are proudly recognizing their past with a look that will certainly turn heads when they wear them this season.
