Nike NFL Jerseys: NFL Players React to Nike's New Uniforms

As part of their new partnership as the official apparel provider of the National Football League, Nike unveiled new uniforms for all 32 NFL teams Tuesday. While the vast majority of the new uniforms look just like the old ones, the reaction from current and former NFL players was mostly positive.

The Seattle Seahawks were the only NFL squad whose uniform underwent a major change, with neon green striping on the jerseys and a feathered stripe on the helmet. As the Associated Press reported Tuesday, some players, such as New Orleans Saints running back Pierre Thomas, were (neon) green with envy.

"Seattle has the hottest uniform right now," Thomas said (per ESPN). "So I'm a little jealous. But I still love my all black. I think it looks nice."

Seahawks players also seemed to favor the new look, although as offensive lineman Russell Okung and wide receiver Doug Baldwin tweeted, there are more important concerns that must be taken into consideration than how a team looks on Sundays:

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Whether you like the new uniforms or not, the game doesn't change. I'd rather have a winning record in sweatpants than a losing one in silk

— Dbfresh (@DougBaldwinJr) April 3, 2012"

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If I remember correctly, Nike uniforms are a lot tighter. Offensive lineman can finally show off our physique.

— Russell Okung (@BDR76) April 3, 2012"

Linebacker Sean Weatherspoon of the Atlanta Falcons is another player who appears more concerned about how the jerseys perform than how they look. The third-year pro is hopeful that the new uniforms' lightweight material will be a benefit on the gridiron.

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I like the jerseys! The material is the key, the reebok jerseys held too much sweat.... New jerseys look sleek

— Sean Weatherspoon (@SeanWSpoon56) April 3, 2012"

Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden agreed with Weatherspoon that the lightweight material is a plus. His comments shed some light on the traditionalist leanings of many fans that may have spurred Nike to leave most uniform designs alone more or less.

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Browns defensive back and former Florida Gator Haden said: "They feel like a little better edition of my Florida jersey. More ventilation in them to keep you cooler."

But they still look like the uniforms Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar used to wear for Cleveland back in the 1980s and '90s.

"The Browns, it's all about traditions," Haden said. "A lot of the Browns fans they didn't want us to change up. They wanted us to feel better in the uniforms and to fit better and all that, but about the look, they really didn't want you to change it up at all."

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Not all players were happy that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Carolina Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart was apparently hoping that the Panthers would affect more drastic changes than a minor tweaking of the logo—perhaps along the lines of a leaked NikeBlog.com image (per Pro Football Talk).

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Would've been nice to get black helmets!

— Jonathan Stewart (@Jonathanstewar1) April 3, 2012"

Finally, Buffalo Bills linebacker Shawne Merriman may have taken away the award for the "twittiest" tweet of the day regarding the new Nike uniforms, although it's rather unlikely that his wish regarding the new threads will come true:

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I heard the new #Nike jerseys turn a different color when you get held #Wishfulthinking

— Shawne Merriman (@shawnemerriman) April 3, 2012"

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