Tennessee Titans unveil Oilers-inspired throwback uniforms

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — After multiple hints over the last week, the Tennessee Titans’ long-awaited throwback uniforms were finally revealed on Sunday. 

The team teased the new uniforms in a tweet posted on Wednesday, July 19, that showed a Titans jersey covered in black oil.  

Before becoming the Titans, the team was in Houston and known as the Houston Oilers. After the 1996 season, the team relocated to Tennessee and played as the Tennessee Oilers. The team played under that name for two years until officially changing its name before the 1999 season. 

This upcoming season, the Titans will add the Oilers-inspired uniforms to their lineup. Team officials offered the following description of the uniforms — which were created in cooperation with Nike — in a press release on Sunday, July 23:

-“Columbia Blue” jerseys with red around white on the numbers, and names on the back, with a red, white and light blue band on the sleeves.

-White helmets, with the famed oil derrick, with red facemasks and red stripes outside of a thicker light blue stripe on the top.

-White pants, or britches, with red stripes on each side of a thicker light blue stripe down the side.

-Red and white stripes on light blue and white socks.

The words ‘Luv Ya Blue” will be on the back neckline of the jerseys.

Players will have the option of wearing red sleeves, red gloves, and red cleats to add to the look.

“It allows us to honor as many players as we can, because it covers so much time,” said Surf Melendez, vice president and executive creative director for the Titans. “It also represented our transition to Tennessee, because we wore these uniforms in Tennessee as well.”

Former Oilers Warren Moon, Robert Brazile, and Elvin Bethea were reportedly given a sneak peek of the throwback uniforms when they were in Nashville for an alumni event last year.

“They loooooved them, and it took them back,” Melendez said of the former Oilers. “The guys who wore the uniform, it took them back. And they were able to speak to the significance of wearing that uniform. This was an original AFL team, so there’s a rich tradition there and now people are going to see this, and they are going to be reminded of this rich history.”

According to officials, the Titans will wear the uniforms in two home games this fall, but the dates of those games have yet to be announced. The light blue Oilers throwbacks are set to join the navy and white uniforms, replacing the light blue Titans jerseys as the third jersey.

The throwback jerseys and other Oilers merchandise are currently available at the Nissan Stadium Titans Pro Shop, as well as online.

The Titans will open this season on the road on Sept. 10, against the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes Benz Superdome.