With the NBA set to return and the NFL teetering on the brink of a suspended season, we thought it would be as good a time as any to look at some mashups of NBA and NFL teams’ uniforms. The designers over at Pick 6 put together just that.
The paired each NFL team with a basketball team from their city, past or present, and took a shot at what the jerseys would look like if they were a football team. The results were incredible. There are some teams here who should think about changing their uniforms immediately after this exercise.
But don’t take our word for it, flip through the slides, and see for yourself. Take a look at what your favorite team would look like with the uni’s of their city’s basketball team instead.
Denver Broncos/Denver Nuggets
Pick 6 is starting us off with a certified banger. The classic Nuggets sunset logo looks incredible on a football uniform. Uniform aside, the logo itself was a stroke of design genius. We love the way the colors show through the mountains to be the city skyline.
Only one slight adjustment we’d make here is replacing the helmet logo with some pickaxes. That would awesome on the helmet. Overall, these are really fun.
Washington Football Team/Washington Wizards
This era of Wizards uniforms is not the franchise’s best look, but it looks really good on the gridiron. The uniform is fine, it’s a unique color for the NFL and everything is visible and readable.
Where this mashup really shines is the helmet. That basketball wizard logo fits perfectly on a helmet. If I was a Washington sports fan right now I would be order this helmet for my home bar. Hey, the Washington Football Team is currently without a mascot, maybe they should look at borrowing the Wizards name.
Minnesota Vikings/Minnesota Timberwolves
This may be the most stunning mashup of the bunch. These old Garnett-era T-Wolves jerseys were intense, to begin with. They look even better as football jerseys. The black jersey with the green tree trim is both slick and intimidating.
The helmet is a sight to behold. It’s a matte black helmet with a snarling wolf on the side of the helmet. The green tree trim brings it all together as a stripe down the center of the helmet. It’s a really great look.
San Francisco 49ers/Golden State Warriors
To be honest, these uniforms are just ok. This was not a great uniform for the Warriors and it’s not really a surprise that it doesn’t look that great on a football jersey either. For some reason, the color scheme just isn’t doing it on these jerseys.
Also, what is on the Warriors logo? Sure, there’s a basketball and the word Warriors, but what is that thing on the logo? What kind of Warrior is that? Looks like a combination of a Roman god and a futuristic soldier. It’s just bizarre.
Kansas City Chiefs/Kansas City Kings
Here’s a little history lesson to start this entry. Before they were the Sacramento Kings, the franchise was located in Kansas City. The team in Missouri moved west to California in 1985 where they’ve been ever since.
This uniform is uninspired. It’s plain and doesn’t feature much that is unique or eye-catching. The best part of this uniform is the little crown that dots the “i” in the word City. Overall this is just ok. We do like the connection to Kansas City history though.
Cleveland Browns/Cleveland Cavaliers
Not much had to change to put together these Cavs/Browns mashup jerseys, as both looks feature a good amount of orange. The helmet is only different in the helmet stripe, but it’s a great helmet so why change it?
This was an underrated look for the Cavaliers so it’s nice it’s getting it’s due with the Browns here. There’s even some nice sleeve striping going on here. All in all, a solid uniform.
Tennessee Titans/Vancouver Grizzlies
A quick reminder that before the Grizzlies were in Memphis, they were the other Canadian franchise, calling Vancouver home. The Titans play in Nashville, but these are just shouting out the whole state of Tennessee with this mashup.
The Grizzlies uniforms were great because they featured Pacific Northwest imagery on the trim. This has been replicated on the football jersey’s trim and on the sleeve caps. The helmet is a bit duller than it could be. Perhaps a larger logo would have done the trick.
Arizona Cardinals/Phoenix Suns
This look is so close to being great. The uniform is really good, aside from the obvious disconnect with the basketball shooting across the front of a football jersey. Black uniforms are almost always cool, and this one is no exception.
Where they miss the mark with this uniform set is the helmet. Instead of throwing the whole Suns logo on the side of the helmet, they should have just put the shooting basketball on. They had to shrink the whole logo down to the point that it’s just too small. Overall, a pretty good look though.
Atlanta Falcons/Atlanta Hawks
Classic Mutombo-era Hawks look here, and we dig it. Two-tone jerseys are usually more miss than hit, but this one is an exception. It looks just as good as a football jersey too. Everything fits so perfectly it’s like it was made to be a football jersey.
The helmet is good but not great. It looks too much like an Eagles knock off. It doesn’t spoil the set, it just leaves room for improvement.
Green Bay Packers/Milwaukee Bucks
Cards on the table, this was not a good era of Bucks uniforms so a mashup with using these was never going to look very good. They look like the knockoff sportswear you’d find at a big box chain who doesn’t want to pay for the official league license.
While the idea is born out of the Eagles helmet, this Bucks helmet just looks funny. The antlers coming out of the forehead are comical. I can’t imagine Aaron Rodgers would be too pleased to sling it in this uniform.
Baltimore Ravens/Washington Bullets
You may be thinking about how cool those Washington Bullets throwbacks look, but you’d be wrong. Those aren’t the Washington Bullets, those are the Baltimore Bullets. From 1963-1973, the Bullets franchise was located just up I-95 in Baltimore and then rebranded to the Wizards in 1997.
The jerseys are solid, but the helmet is awesome. Aside from the issues surrounding the glorification of guns and bullets, these helmets are incredible. Using a bullet and its energy trail as a helmet stripe is brilliant.
New York Jets/New Jersey Nets
This mashup uniform is a good representation of the Jets franchise. It’s there but nobody is really that excited about it. It’s not good, it’s not bad, it’s just there. The colors are basic and uninspiring, and so is the logo.
These Jets themselves have been struggling with their identity and recently went through a bit of brand spruce up, to lackluster reviews. Just a reminder, the Nets franchise didn’t get cool until they moved to Brooklyn. Maybe the Jets need to do the same?
Houston Texans/Houston Rockets
The pinstripes made these Houston Rockets jerseys special. The logo is suspect, and a bit childish but the pinstripes save the look. Steve Francis may have once run things in Houston while wearing these, but that job now belongs to the Texans gridiron point guard, Deshaun Watson.
The red helmet is a nice touch here too. The safe choice would have been a deep navy to match the jersey, but by going with that deep red the helmet really stands out.
Detroit Lions/Detroit Pistons
These Grant Hill-era Pistons throwbacks are often overlooked when people talk about all-time great uniforms. Yes, they have a bit of that 1990s goofiness about them, but that’s what makes them classic throwbacks a few decades later.
They look pretty good as a football jersey too. The designers did an interesting thing with the different colored sleeve caps. The Lion’s current uniforms are so bland with their grey and blue that it’s nice to see some color in Detroit for once.
Miami Dolphins/Miami Heat
It’s official, every Miami sports team should have a “Miami Vice” themed uniform. The Heat jerseys are honestly one of the best jerseys in all of sports and are not worn enough. They do a great job of representing the Art Deco architecture of South Beach and the colorful nightlife scene the city offers.
And the look doesn’t just work for basketball, as evidenced by these football jerseys. Who among you wouldn’t want to see the Dolphins logo on that helmet in teal and pink? If your hand isn’t up right now you’re lying. Next up for the “Vice” treatment is the Marlins. Your move, Jeter.
Seattle Seahawks/Seattle SuperSonics
It’s always great to see the Seattle SuperSonics (R.I.P) represented, but they’ve gone with the wrong uniforms here. These teal and red jerseys were the product of an identity crisis. The result was bad.
Now, imagine the traditional Super Sonics yellow and green jersey with the arch across the chest. That is the look that we should have seen here. Imagine that “S” logo on the helmet. That’s the look. This misses the mark.
New England Patriots/Boston Celtics
We’ve had plenty of opportunities to see this mashup played out right in front of us, thank you Notre Dame football. For what it’s worth, the Fighting Irish in Indiana has a poor record when playing in their green uniforms so it may behoove the Pats to choose a different color if they ever engage in this sort of collaboration.
There is something special about a gold football helmet though, even Notre Dame haters will have to agree. The shamrock on the side is cool and represents the city and the team well.
Buffalo Bills/Buffalo Braves
The Buffalo Braves are seldom mentioned when the great defunct teams of the NBA mentioned. The franchise was moved to San Diego in 1978 and became the Clippers. The Clippers then moved to Los Angeles in 1984.
This was a great logo though and it’s great to see it get its due on the helmet of this mashup. This uniform offers something that we don’t see anymore on basketball or football jerseys, with a sash across the front. It’s a look that sometimes appears on soccer jerseys, and really should be considered more for American sports.
New York Giants/New York Knicks
It’s a shame really that the Giants had to be paired with the Knicks. One team is one of the pillar franchises of its league and is a well run and successful organization. The other is the Knicks. Anyway, these uniforms feature a unique color scheme, which is about all that is exciting about them.
Some of that throwback Knicks checkerboard pattern could have been cool here, but it wasn’t to be. For a city and fashion-forward and trendsetting as New York City, you’d expect something better from one of its most important sports franchises.
Cincinnati Bengals/Cincinnati Royals
Remember the Kansas City Kings from a few slides ago? Well before they were the KC Kings, they were the Cincinnati Royals. The franchise was in The Queen City from 1957-1972 and starred none other than The Big O, Oscar Robertson.
The jersey itself deserves some credit for the history it represents, but maybe not for its looks. We are a really big fan of the goofy basketball king logo on the helmet, however. If it’s not featured int eh Kings current throwback rotation, it should be.
Chicago Bears/Chicago Bulls
This jersey exudes success and victory. Jordan, Pippen, and the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s. These pinstripe uniforms were so slick, and it’s no wonder they look good as a football jersey too.
There’s so much beyond the pinstriping to like about this look too. The collar striping, and the Bulls logo on the sleeves are great. The helmet is excellent. It’s simple. Slap that great Bulls logo on a black helmet and call it a day. Simple, but perfect.
Dallas Cowboys/Dallas Mavericks
We’ve never been a fan of this era of Mavericks jerseys. The blue and the green seem like they would go better in a town near the ocean or featuring an aquatic mascot, not a cowboy in Texas.
With that said, the helmet is outstanding. Apologies to Cowboys fans but this is a better helmet than the silver lone star helmet that is famous all around the globe. That said, it’s impossible to separate the Dallas Cowboys and that star.
Pittsburgh Steelers/Pittsburgh Pipers
You’re forgiven if you’re not familiar with the Pittsburgh Pipers of the ABA. The franchise was once a founding member of the ABA and won the first league title in 1968. The team lasted just 5 years and was disbanded under the name Pittsburgh Condors in 1972.
That logo is pure early professional basketball, with the three-colored basketball. The uniform isn’t much to look at, but It’s the history that counts. It is nice to see a Pittsburgh team not wearing black and gold too.
Philadelphia Eagles/Philadelphia 76ers
This Sixers/Eagles mashup is bringing back memories of Allen Iverson crossing up the entire Eastern Conference regularly. It’s that nostalgia that makes these look so good. Truth be told, they never were very strong uniforms.
We’d much rather see the Eagles wearing the ABA throwbacks from back in the day. The jerseys Dr. J was slamming it home in. Can you imagine Dr. J on a football field? He’d be a Pro Bowl receiver every year.
Jacksonville Jaguars/Orlando Magic
There’s just something about Gardiner Minshew in a Mickey Mouse inspired Magic football jersey that just feels right. To be fair, it’s a pretty good look whoever is wearing it. The black helmet is slick, and the Magic logo looks good on it.
With the Jaguars struggling to establish an aesthetic that works for the long term, maybe a Disney inspired look is worth a shot. What character would fit best inspiring the next direction of the Jags uniforms?
Indianapolis Colts/Indiana Pacers
Pinstripes are a good look when used reasonably. On a basketball jersey that has no sleeves, you can pull off the look. There’s a lot more fabric on a football jersey, which means a lot more stripes. Too many stripes as it turns out.
The Pacers logo looks great on a football helmet, however. The Colts have a world-class uniform as it is, so anything is a downgrade. The colors are good for football though.
Carolina Panthers/Charlotte Hornets
These are hands down the best uniforms in the article. The throwback Hornets jersey is an NBA classic and has frequently made a reappearance in the Hornets rotation. The colors are great, the collar stripes are terrific, but the real cherry on top is the helmet.
That hornet on the side looks like he was made for a football helmet. The helmet stripes down the center of the helmet bring the whole ensemble together. Simply put, it’s a masterpiece.
New Orleans Saints/New Orleans Hornets
For obvious reasons, New Orleans Hornets’ mashup uniform is very similar to the Charlotte Hornets mashup jersey. It does have some unique ‘Nawlins flair that gives it a personal touch. Just like their Charlotte cousins, it’s a pretty great uniform.
The helmet, rocking that basketball dribbling hornet, is the centerpiece. Silly as it may be, that bug is the star and it’s in its rightful place on the side of that helmet.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Orlando Magic
Tom Brady going to Tampa is the biggest thing to happen to sports in Florida since Shaq was wearing that black pinstriped outfit you see above. For the first time since they won the Super Bowl, they’ve got a real shot at a title.
A few months ago, it would have been correct to say that anything was better than the old Bucs uniforms, but they’ve got a snappy upgrade since Brady showed up. These would be a nice novelty item in the team shop though.
Los Angeles Chargers/Los Angeles Clippers
It’s easily overlooked amidst all that’s going on with this Clippers/Chargers mashup but the coolest part of the jersey is the font. The way some of the letters intricately fit inside the other letters is a cool trick. It’s reminiscent of a time long ago.
The Clippers logo never made any sense as far as its relationship with the club’s nickname, but that didn’t take away from it being a decent logo. It’s instantly recognizable and is the right shape to fit perfectly on a football helmet.
Las Vegas Raiders/Los Angeles Lakers
The pick for the Raiders is the Lakers because when you move your team to Las Vegas there isn’t much that glitters more than Vegas itself, except for maybe the “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s. While Gruden’s Raiders have yet to reach the heights that Magic’s Lakers did, it’s still a fun comparison.
The Raiders should have been opening up their brand-new stadium in the Vegas desert this season to throngs of cheering fans. What a “Black Hole” it would have been with the characters Las Vegas brings in. We’ll have to wait until next year, hopefully.
Los Angeles Rams/Los Angeles Lakers
If there was a team in Southern California that would come close to the prestige and flash of the Lakers, it would be the Rams. So, it’s fitting then that Jared Goff would get to don the alternate colors of the Lakers from the 1960s.
Those colors came with the team from Minneapolis when they moved to Los Angeles in 1960 and stayed until owner Jack Kent Cooke gave the team a new look and new colors in 1967. It would be odd today to imagine the great Lakers stars in anything else but purple and gold, now wouldn’t it?