Jason Kelce has made his preference for the Philadelphia Eagles’ classic look clear: he would like the team to make Kelly Green its main uniform color again. The former Eagles center recently shared his view while discussing the team’s jerseys, criticizing the current look and explaining why he favors the throwback shade.
“I don’t know why everybody is not wearing retro jerseys. I hate all of the new jerseys,” Kelce said on the *New Heights* podcast. “Kelly Green, in my opinion, should be the main jersey for the Eagles. Technically, Midnight Green was instituted in the ’90s when Jeffrey Lurie bought the team. Jeffrey would not be happy that I’m saying this, but I do like the Kelly Green more.”
Kelce also drew a distinction between the Midnight Green uniforms from different eras. “Midnight Green was better when it was Reebok-owned. There was a sheen and a shininess to it. Now that the Nike jerseys are stretchy and it’s not the same material, the Midnight Green doesn’t look anywhere near as cool.”
## The Eagles’ shift from Kelly Green to Midnight Green
After Jeffrey Lurie bought the Eagles in 1994, the team moved away from its traditional Kelly Green uniforms. In 1996, Philadelphia introduced Midnight Green as its primary jersey color, bringing an end to the team’s Kelly Green era, which had lasted from 1985 through 1995.
The darker shade became closely associated with the Eagles during the Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb era, which began in 1999. Philadelphia also wore Midnight Green in three Super Bowl appearances: Super Bowl 39, Super Bowl 52 and Super Bowl 57.
Despite the team’s achievements in Midnight Green, many fans have maintained a strong attachment to Kelly Green. The classic color carries a sense of history for supporters, and its return has long appealed to fans who remember the older uniforms or simply prefer their brighter look.
The Eagles brought back Kelly Green as an alternate uniform in 2023, giving the team an opportunity to wear the familiar color again after nearly three decades. The return did not replace Midnight Green as the primary look, however. For now, Kelly Green remains a throwback option rather than the team’s everyday uniform.
## What changed when Nike took over?
Nike became the NFL’s official uniform supplier in 2012, replacing Reebok. The switch did not bring a major redesign for Philadelphia. When Nike introduced its Elite 51 uniforms for all 32 teams on April 3, 2012, the Eagles chose to preserve their established appearance.
The most noticeable updates were the Nike logo on the jerseys and somewhat sharper-looking wings on the helmets. Even the helmet adjustment was subtle. Kelce’s criticism focuses less on a dramatic redesign and more on how the uniform fabric affects the appearance of Midnight Green. In his view, the older Reebok material gave the color a sheen that the newer, stretchier Nike jerseys do not replicate.
## Throwbacks remain popular with fans
The Eagles’ choice to keep Kelly Green as an alternate comes amid broader NFL interest in throwback and alternate uniforms. During the 2025 season, teams were permitted to wear those uniforms more often: the limit increased from three times per season to four. Teams could also pair alternate helmets with their regular home and away jerseys, creating additional options for changing their appearance.
Fan demand is one reason these uniforms remain prominent. Throwback and alternate jerseys reportedly account for as much as 30% of NFL jersey sales. Kelly Green continues to be especially popular among Eagles supporters. Louis Hernandez, a manager at Rally House Ivy Ridge, has said customers ask for the older color more often than the newer one.
A return to Kelly Green as the Eagles’ primary color does not appear imminent. Lurie has described it as a throwback while expressing appreciation for both shades.
“Right now, it’s a throwback,” Lurie said. “I don’t know what the future’s going to hold, but we love the kelly green, we love the midnight green and — anything we can win big in — we love. Those are two great ones.”
Kelce has made his preference unmistakable, but Philadelphia’s established Midnight Green identity remains in place. Whether the Eagles ever elevate Kelly Green from alternate status to their primary uniform is still an open question.
