Football Team Uniform Rules & Guidelines

Over the decades, NFL has had a history of imposing strict uniform rules that cannot be compromised in any way. These defined regulations cover everything, from official colors, apparel aesthetics, and player safety to the bigger picture. In NFL, even the slightest violations of the uniform codes can lead to penalties and fines. This was and made clear every time a player got fined for wearing the wrong color or the incorrect length of socks.

Custom football uniforms need to be designed according to official NFL rules for all the games. The football league closely monitors all the regulations, and the teams are required to submit their uniforms for approval, and the whole process takes longer than a normal amount of time. Through vigilant monitoring of all the uniforms, the league ensures there’s just the right combination of colors throughout the game.

Here are the official NFL Football Team Uniform Rules and Guidelines:

  • Players are only allowed to wear the colors that are officially approved by the authorities and assigned to their club.
  • No teams can wear jerseys of white color.
  • All players of the same team are required to wear the same colored uniforms.
  • The uniform colors of the home teams must differ from the visiting teams.
  • It is required that the lower portion of the stocking is white.

Protective Gear

All players are required to wear personal protective equipment for maximum safety throughout the game.

  • All helmets must have a white chinstrap and protective facemask of about ⅝ – inch in diameter.
  • Transparent components in helmets are prohibited.
  • Note that helmets are not allowed to have the manufacturer’s logo or any type of advertising on the exterior case. But they must have the small NFL shield logo on the backside.
  • All helmets must also contain the approved warning label at the lower right end.
  • Players can wear transparent protective eye shields, whereas tinted eyeshields are allowed in particular medical conditions.
  • In the warm-up sessions before the game, players have the option of not wearing protective gear but they must wear helmets all the time.

Jerseys

Jerseys are the major part of the NFL uniforms, and there are strict rules that go with them, which are:

  • Jerseys must cover all the protective gears worn on the torso and upper arm.
  • They must be tucked into the pants throughout the game
  • All jerseys with mesh or fishnets are completely prohibited
  • Players’ surnames should be present at the back in 2.5” inches high letters
  • Numbers must be affixed beneath the surnames on the back
  • The numbers at the back and front of the jersey must be 8” in height and 4” in width.
  • The numbers must be in sharp contrast with the color of the jersey.
  • The small logo of the NFL Equipment must be placed in the middle of the neck yoke at the front side.
  • Smaller numbers must be placed at the top of the shoulder of the jersey. They can also be placed on the pants or the back of the helmets.

Note that the jersey fabric needs approval from the concerned authorities in the league before it is sent to the final production.

Pants

  • These are the shorts that meet the stockings.
  • The shorts’ length must cover the knee.
  • Small NFL logo must be placed at the front side, the upper left end of the pants.
  • It is not allowed to cut the pants in any way if the suitable gusset or other gear is not available to replace the removed part.

Stockings

Players are allowed to wear many layers of stockings and tapes under the following regulations:

  • The outermost stocking should be a single piece even if the player is wearing multiple layers underneath it.
  • The bottom section of the stocking should be white, while the upper part can have the team-approved color.
  • Players are not allowed to alter the uniform stockings in any way
  • Placekickers and punters have the option of not wearing the stocking on the kicking foot.

Shoes

NFL also has strict rules for football shoes, and they are:

  • Players are allowed to wear multiple colored shoes, including black, white, and the approved color by the team.
  • Every team is supposed to pick the main color for the shoes, and they’re required to report that particular color and shoe style to the league for approval a year before.
  • Note that NFL doesn’t allow any type of advertising or logo on the shoes without approval from the concerned authorities.
  • All NFL-approved logos must be covered with the taping, and players can cut the tape with precision.
  • Players are not allowed to do any alteration to the kicking shoes.
  • Punters and the placekickers may not wear the shoes on the kicking leg during the kicking plays or while preparing for the kick.

Prohibited Equipment & Apparel

Following items and equipment are prohibited by NFL for every game.

  • Any hard object, such as metallic component protruding from the shoes or uniform
  • Every type of uncovered protective guards and pads
  • Shoe cleats made of Aluminum – or any material in shoe cleats that tend to chip, fracture, or create a sharp edge.
  • Any item of the uniform that is similar to the color of the football.
  • Headwear such as a bandana.