Starting in 2025, the New England Patriots will get more chances to experiment with their looks.
The NFL voted to update its uniform policy at the league meetings in Palm Springs on Monday, allowing its clubs to wear throwback or alternate jerseys up to four times per season. Previously, teams only had that opportunity on three occasions each year.
“We just refreshed the policy, so now we’ll be able to wear the uniforms four times during the regular season,” Denver Broncos President Damani Leech told reporters.
“That will be great. More opportunity to wear the throwbacks, but also more versatility with the helmets. ... Things like that will just add more flexibility to the closet and hopefully be exciting for the players, but also for the fans.”
The Patriots wore their Pat Patriot throwbacks twice last season. They donned their red jersey/white pants combination in losses to the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts in Weeks 6 and 13, respectively. They did not use an alternate look classified as such, but instead mixed and matched their navy and white jerseys with navy and silver pants.
Given the new policy, this fall could bring even more variety to Patriots games — including more Pat Patriot or the introduction of a new alternate. This process could happen in lockstep with a new primary look being unveiled.
The Patriots introduced their current all-navy home outfit for the 2020 season, which makes them eligible for a change this offseason. They appeared to phase out that look during the 2024 season, wearing it just twice all year and not once over the second half of the season.
The last Patriots uniform change was announced on April 20, 2020. If a change is on the horizon and approved by the NFL, the team might follow a similar timeline this year in order to have the new jersey available to be handed on stage to their first-round draft pick.