The Buffalo Bills’ new alternate uniform has taken plenty of heat online, and even someone from Patrick Mahomes’ inner circle has joined in on the fun.
Bobby Stroupe, Mahomes’ longtime trainer, took a playful shot at the Chiefs’ AFC rivals after the new look drew widespread ridicule.
Patrick Mahomes’ Trainer Compares Bills’ ‘Nickel City’ Look to MLB GiantsThe Bills’ ‘Nickel City’ alternate kit is an all-gray jersey and pants combo, paired with a helmet the team calls “The Charge.” That helmet has a blue base with the team’s red charging buffalo symbol wrapped around it.
Come to think of it, this is actually the first time Buffalo has gone this heavy on gray for any uniform in franchise history.
Chiefs writer and podcaster Tucker D. Franklin shared a clip of Josh Allen running onto the Highmark Stadium pitch, dressed in the new uniform. “How are these even worse on field?” Franklin asked, which led to Stroupe remarking, “Looks like the Giants.”
He wasn’t talking about the NFL’s New York Giants, of course. The reference was to MLB’s San Francisco Giants and their gray road uniforms, which are about as understated as it gets.
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For a franchise that just spent months building hype around a brand new alternate jersey, getting compared to a generic baseball road kit isn’t exactly a compliment for the Bills.
The team says it’s meant to honor the city of Buffalo itself, especially the people who’ve worked hard there for generations.
The gray theme is a nod to the old Buffalo nickel, which was minted from 1913 to 1938. Designers also pulled inspiration from steel mills, grain elevators, and old rail yards around the city.
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The Bills probably wanted to mark their debut season at Highmark Stadium with a special kit. While the idea sounds great on paper, the design hasn’t gone over well with fans. The backlash became so loud that even Allen had to jump in and defend the uniform.
“Stop hating on the jerseys, guys,” the star quarterback said. He said the new look reflects the changes Buffalo has gone through and added that he’s excited to wear it.
“I enjoy them. I think it’s very symbolic of what we want to do and what we want to be,” Allen said after Buffalo’s first training camp practice last month.
“I understand people want the old jerseys and the old helmets and all that. But at some point, too, we are moving forward. We have to move forward and do something new, and that’s what we’re doing,” Allen explained.
Fans will get to see the Nickel City jerseys on the field twice this season. Buffalo will debut the all-gray look in-season on Sept. 27 against the Los Angeles Chargers before wearing it again Dec. 19 against the Chicago Bears
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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