Why did the Philadelphia Eagles stop wearing their Kelly Green uniforms?
The Philadelphia Eagles brought back their Kelly Green uniforms against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday Night Football. The team stopped wearing the uniforms in 1996, switching instead to a darker shade of green. In 2010, however, the Eagles wore the uniform during their season opener as they celebrated the 50th anniversary of their NFL championship, which came prior to the Super Bowl era.
In 2014, Eagles president Don Smolenski discussed the reason for the change, as well as the possibility of the team wearing the jerseys more frequently:
"We have talked about it and there are some rules with the NFL that provides some restrictions that we’re trying to work through, but that’s going to take some time. It’s there, and it’s something that we do talk about, but until some things change at the NFL level, it’s going to provide restrictions for us. It is being talked about, yes." [h/t Washington Post]
The jerseys were a hit amongst fans, who shared that Philadelphia should make the Kelly Green uniforms their permanent home jersey. Eagles star wide receiver DeVonta Smith shared that sentiment, according to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who tweeted:
"DeVonta Smith also said he likes the Kelly Green uniforms so much he thinks they should be the #Eagles’ standard unis."
It is unclear if the Eagles will grant Smith's wish and return to the Kelly Green uniforms on a full-time basis. They will, however, sport the highly popular throwback jerseys in Week 12 when the Buffalo Bills head to Philadelphia.
How did the Philadelphia Eagles perform in their Kelly Green uniforms?
The Philadelphia Eagles were able to defeat the Miami Dolphins by a score of 31-17 while wearing their Kelly Green uniforms. The win improved Philadelphia's record to 6-1 while Miami fell to 5-2.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 23 of his 31 pass attempts for 279 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He added 21 rushing yards and one touchdown on 11 carries.
Wide receiver A.J. Brown caught 10 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown, while tight end Dallas Goedert added five receptions, 77 yards and one touchdown.
Running back Kenneth Gainwell added a touchdown on the ground. Perhaps most importantly, the Philadelphia Eagles defense was able to limit the Dolphins' high-powered offense, which came in averaging a league-high 37.2 points per game, to a season-low 17 points.