Few uniform histories in the NFL carry the weight of the San Francisco 49ers’, with five Lombardi Trophies and decades of iconic gold-and-red looks to choose from.
The Athletic’s Matt Barrows took on the task of ranking the best and worst looks in the franchise’s history, and his picks reflect both the franchise’s enduring classic look and a brief experiment that didn’t quite work.
For the best, Barrows went with the traditional road uniform that has been a staple since 1964.
The 49ers’ home and away jerseys both are winners, but the road whites get a slight nod. That’s because the gold pants, which in the team’s heyday leaned more toward beige, have since become brighter, making them compete with the red jerseys. The white tops are more understated and thus a better complement.
On the other end, Barrows singled out the black Color Rush uniforms worn intermittently from 2015-2017 and again in 2025.
Black uniforms always sound good … until they’re put to the test. When the 49ers wore them beginning in 2015, there wasn’t enough contrast between the black background and the red stenciling, which made the numbers hard to see. Was it Garrett Celek (88) who just made that catch? Or was it Vance McDonald (89)? It didn’t help that the team went 1-4 in the alternates.
The contrast between the two picks underscores a common theme in uniform rankings across the league: the simplest, most enduring looks tend to age better than flashier alternates designed for one-off appearances.
For a franchise as steeped in tradition as the 49ers, it’s fitting that the road whites, which have remained virtually unchanged for more than 60 years, still hold up as the gold standard.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Analyst names the best and worst jerseys in 49ers history
Reporting by Oliver G., Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Oliver G., Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
