DETROIT — The Lions revealed new uniforms Thursday evening with a nod to the automotive industry, using the Ford Mustang Dark Horse, Bronco off-roader and F-150 Lightning pickup truck to complement the team’s new threads.
The Lions, coming off their most successful season in decades, took inspiration from their owner’s family business, Ford Motor Co., and its most legendary vehicles for their updated look.
The stripes on the jersey sleeves are a hint at stripes on the Ford Mustang’s hood, and the blue collars on the jerseys symbolize the region’s industrial base, Lions officials said.
“We wanted the uniforms to be more meaningful to our city, our fans and to our team’s heritage,” said Emily Griffin, Lions senior vice president of marketing and brand.
The Bronco, which returned in 2021 after being out of production since 1996, was also a general inspiration for Nike, which developed the uniforms. The home jerseys, in the team’s traditional colors of Honolulu blue and silver, feature white block numbers, a throwback to the look worn by the 1990s Lions led by Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders.
“We were inspired [by the Bronco] to bring back the look of the Barry Sanders generation,” Lions CEO and president Rod Wood told Autoblog.
A white F-150 Lightning complemented the team’s new white road uniforms, but the Mustang Dark Horse and the Lions’ new alternate black jerseys were clearly the fan favorite. Drawing a crowd of 8,000 fans, the alternate jerseys to be worn for special games was revealed with the Dark Horse as the backdrop to wild cheers from the crowd at Ford Field, one day after the Mustang’s 60th anniversary.
The Lions are owned and run by the Ford family, led by principal owner Sheila Ford Hamp. Ford executive chairman Bill Ford, Hamp’s brother, was formerly a team executive. Their father, William Clay Ford, Sr., bought the team in 1963 and owned it until his death in 2014. His initials are featured on the back of the teams’ helmets.
“Ford and the Lions have a rich, shared history grounded in Detroit heritage,” said Lisa Materazzo, global chief marketing officer, Ford Motor Company. “We’re proud that the Ford Bronco and the iconic Mustang served as inspiration for elements of their new uniforms and excited to see the Lions when they proudly represent Detroit in Ford Field and celebrate our shared passion for football.”