How Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell helped bring black jerseys back

Black is back, and Dan Campbell helped make it happen.

The Detroit Lions unveiled their new uniform combinations at a season ticket holder event Thursday at Ford Field, making subtle changes to the jerseys they last updated in 2017 and adding a black alternate jersey — at Campbell’s request — for the first time in nearly two decades.

The Lions will have four jerseys for the 2024 season: An updated white home jersey with blue block lettering and blue and silver stripes on the sleeves; a “redefined” Honolulu blue road jersey with white numbers and silver and white stripes on the sleeve; a new black jersey with blue numbers and blue and silver stripes; and their traditional plain blue and silver throwback jerseys.

All three new jerseys can be worn with multiple pant combinations and have an inside blue collar to symbolize Detroit’s blue-collar ethos and a second inscribed ode to the city. The city’s area code, “313,” is written on the inside collar of the white jerseys, “Motor City” is on the inside collar of the black jerseys and the team’s “One Pride” slogan is inside the blue jerseys.

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“I think they’re sweet,” tight end Brock Wright said this week. “I’m excited.”

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Lions president Rod Wood said Campbell, who played for the Lions in 2006-08, suggested bringing back black alternate jerseys three years ago near the end of his first set of draft meetings as head coach.

The Lions first introduced a black alternate jersey in 2005 that featured Honolulu blue numbers with silver and white trim. The jerseys lasted just three seasons, and the Lions removed black as an accent from their color scheme in 2017.

“So we’re in the draft room, literally months into his tenure and he wore the black when he was here and we’re in the draft room, he said, ‘Hey Rod, when can we get the black jerseys back?’” Wood said. “And I said, ‘I’ll make a deal. When you win the division, I’ll bring the black jerseys back.’ And so I went out on a limb and thankfully he delivered. That’s a true story.”

The Lions won their first division title in 30 years last season, going 12-5 and reaching the NFC championship.

The team started the design process more than two years ago, and Wood said he was aware the black uniforms conjure up “a little (negative) history."

Former Lions president Matt Millen introduced the black jerseys in 2005, in an era that was associated with some of the losingest teams in Lions history.

“I’m well aware of it, but we’re a new team, new leadership, new players and I think the past is the past,” Wood said. “I think it reminded (fans) of a time they want to forget, but hopefully this is a time they always want to remember.”

Asked why Campbell favored bringing back black jerseys, Wood said, “He loved them cause when he was here he wore them and I think it was kind of the team’s favorite at the time.”

“He just kind of pined for it again,” Wood said. “For him it’s a throwback cause it was when he was a player. And I think they’ve dressed up even better than when he was here with the pants combos. It’s a better look than the silver pants we wore at the time.”

The Lions will decide which jerseys to wear in which games after the schedule release next month, but the black jerseys will be paired either with a black pant or the team’s blue pants.

Both the blue and white jerseys can be worn with silver, blue or white pants. The white jerseys have the word “Detroit” across the chest, and all game-worn jerseys will have an inside label that Wood compared to a suit label that honors former Lions owner William Clay Ford.

The Lions removed the “WCF” lettering on the sleeves of last year’s jerseys and will wear a permanent logo on their helmets.

“We wanted to keep something special for Mr. Ford,” Wood said. “It’ll be a very elegant, like I said suit label with his signature on it and it’s just kind of a nod to the current players to remember who was important to bringing the team to where it is now and put the logo on the back of the helmet for those that are going to see it, but I think the players will have a special kind of reminder of the family and Mr. Ford in particular.”

The Lions updated their alternate blue helmet with their current logo, but will not have a third helmet in 2024, something the NFL is allowing teams this year for the first time.

“We were probably too late in the process and it really didn’t fit with what we were rolling out,” Wood said. “Maybe next year we’ll add something and have a little twist on something, but right now there was a lot going on so we did what we did and we’ll deal with the third helmet next year.”

Lions players Kerby Joseph, Alim McNeill and Sam LaPorta helped unveil the uniforms at Thursday's event in front of more than 5,000 fans.

Joseph said the uniforms were a hit with players.

"I love the new uniforms, especially the all black ones," he said. "Honestly, blue is my favorite color but I feel like this blue is unique. I think it's really something about the richness of it, like it really pops. So I know when we go out there on the field it'll really pop and really stick out."

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell helped bring black jerseys back