The Patriots will unveil their nor'easter uniforms when they take on the Jets Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots will unveil their nor'easter uniforms when they take on the Jets Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.New England Patriots
The weather almost always plays a role when it comes to home Patriots games, especially during the second half of the season. Cold or slippery conditions can lead to fumbles, and the wind can impact passes and kicks.
The Patriots are surely no strangers to playing in bad weather. We all remember the Snow Bowl, when the Patriots won against the Raiders during whiteout conditions in January 2002, and ultimately won the Super Bowl.
Patriots defensive end Bobby Hamilton makes an angel in the snow as he celebrates the Patriots' 16-13 victory over the Oakland Raiders in the January 2002 NFL playoff game in Foxborough.
Patriots defensive end Bobby Hamilton makes an angel in the snow as he celebrates the Patriots' 16-13 victory over the Oakland Raiders in the January 2002 NFL playoff game in Foxborough.John Bohn/Boston Globe
Or how about the Patriots knocking off the Tennessee Titans in January 2004, when air temperatures were a frigid 4 degrees, with wind chills reaching minus-10 to 15 degrees?
Following the 17-14 playoff victory over the Tennessee Titans in January 2004, Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi is greeted by his fans.
Following the 17-14 playoff victory over the Tennessee Titans in January 2004, Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi is greeted by his fans.The Boston Globe
Simply put, bad weather is part of the fabric of the Patriots and really part of the identity of New England as a whole. That said, the Patriots are set to debut their new, icy blue “nor’easter” uniforms Thursday night when they take on the New York Jets.
As a Worcester native, a die-hard Pats fan, and a meteorologist, this is my version of the “Perfect Storm.” Yes, I immediately purchased Drake Maye jerseys for my family.
The New England Patriots will unveil their "nor'easter" uniforms when they take on the Jets Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.
The New England Patriots will unveil their "nor'easter" uniforms when they take on the Jets Thursday night at Gillette Stadium.Patriots.com
According to the Patriots, these new alternative uniforms “reflect the power of the infamous New England storm, blending the region’s natural winter elements with the team’s rich history.”
The new uniforms were “designed as part of the NFL’s new ‘Rivalries’ program and created with the power and unpredictability of a New England storm in mind,” wrote Mike Dussault of Patriots.com. The jersey features six stars to represent the six states of New England, various nautical homages, as well as references to past Patriots teams. “We are all Patriots,” a phrase that was famously used by Robert Kraft following Super Bowl XXXVI, is written inside the collar.
A 𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗠 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 is now in effect 🚨 pic.twitter.com/P4SChNWbg3
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 28, 2025
And I have to admit, the icy blue looks like a storm. If I think of a way to visualize blowing winds, blizzard conditions, and freezing temperatures, I would envision this color.
What’s interesting is that the game Thursday night will be spent with temperatures in the mid-30s, but the wind chills will be at or below freezing with wind gusts of up to 20 mph. Pretty fitting weather to don the new uniforms.
Wind chills will drop to near or below freezing Thursday night.
Wind chills will drop to near or below freezing Thursday night.Boston Globe
The uniforms go beyond the team and honor the people of New England, who face extreme weather events winter after winter and continue to carry on.
“The uniforms represent the region, highlighting the unrelenting power of nor’easters with the perseverance of the people who live here,” the Patriots said.
With the coldest game of the year on deck, hopefully the Patriots can weather the storm and roll on to their eighth straight victory.
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Ken Mahan can be reached at ken.mahan@globe.com. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.