The game uniform is where players really take their time to have pride in it because that’s what’s seen on the biggest stage.
Despite wearing the same outfit for perhaps eight games, it always appears that the players are entering the field in a new one.
Although jerseys can be washed, players can also ask for new ones at any time, typically if the old ones are torn, shredded, given away after the game, sent to the Hall of Fame, or sold.
In this Seattletimes article, it’s clearly stated that the players are given one jersey a year. As for the Super Bowl, players actually get two jerseys – the one they are given to wear to media day and other media obligations, and then one for game day.
After that, they must pay but can buy as many jerseys as they want.
But without further ado, let’s dive a bit deeper into the subject!
Do NFL Players Get New Jerseys Every Game?
A team’s uniforms are kept clean throughout the season by an equipment manager who also looks after all of the other equipment.
It’s not all grass, dirt, and blood, either. Another stain to remove is when stadium field maintenance staff paint their fields green to make them appear brighter on television.
One might think that teams have a new uniform for every game, and they do use special jerseys, like historic throwback uniforms, for special games. The truth is, however, they wear the same jerseys, either a home or away version, in most games.
The cleaning service for the Jets and Giants is well-explained in an older piece from 2011, despite its age. This article regarding the Raiders’ equipment managers was also found. It’s from 2012, so it’s sort of outdated, but it’s still cool.
The equipment specialists actually make a lot of effort to clean and fix things, but if anything is broken and they can’t make it “like new,” they replace it.
It’s not as they can just grab another jersey off the rack because everything is very well customized to the player. It is definitely worthwhile to make an effort to reuse as much as possible.
They attempt to only repair the damaged portion of the helmet or the pads when something goes wrong with them rather than the full item.
A guy from Reddit said he has a Terrell Davis game-worn original Nike away jersey and that it definitely was repaired a couple of times. Some holes were patched up, and you could see where some dirt and grass stains were cleaned but never fully gotten out.
A few years ago, there was a behind-the-scenes type of show that showed the equipment managers repairing and cleaning helmets, replacing laces in pants and cleats, and how the equipment actually arrives a couple of days before the team on an away game.
The jerseys are mended or replaced, and the player can ask that worn-out jerseys be set aside for use in auctions, etc.
The player must also purchase the jersey if they want to keep it, as it is team property. Some players also change jerseys several times a game, sometimes for the charity thing. The charity can auction off the authentic game-worn jersey, which is really cool.
Who Washes NFL Players’ Uniforms?
After the NFL and Procter & Gamble agreed to a multi-year contract, Tide is the “Official Laundry Detergent of the NFL” and all 32 of its teams for the ninth consecutive season.
It’s the ideal pairing because Tide consistently scores highly in Consumer Reports’ tests of laundry detergents.
After discovering that several NFL teams already utilized Tide to clean their jerseys and athletic equipment, Procter & Gamble made the decision to move forward.
According to P&G, NFL teams clean more laundry in a week than the typical American household does in two years. Compared to the average home, which washes 41.5 pounds of laundry each week, an average team may complete more than 5,500 pounds.
In challenging laundry detergent tests, Tide has successfully removed stains, including a ring around the collar, grass, blood, tea, chocolate, and clay.
Products from Tide placed first, second, fourth, and sixth in tests of detergents for front- or high-efficiency top-loaders. Additionally, Tide products came in second, third, and fifth place in tests of detergents for conventional top loaders.
As we can see from the video, the Patriot’s equipment manager regularly washes the team’s uniform. We have the same situation in Raiders in which the equipment managers wash the uniform on Monday. It is fair to assume that’s the case for other clubs.
When Do NFL Players Need to Pay for Jerseys?
The NFL has always mandated that players who want new numbers pay for their old jerseys out of their own pockets.
The player should be responsible for purchasing the inventory bearing his name if he decides to change the number.
The NFL informed the players that they would be required to pay full retail for the used jerseys.
Mike Florio, editor-in-chief of Profootballtalk.com and author of the book “Playmakers: How the NFL Really Works (and Doesn’t),” stated there was “no even a friends-and-family discount, no sort of bulk-rate buy.”
Dalvin Cook, a standout running back for the Minnesota Vikings, considered switching his number from 33 to 4, but he already owns a lot of officially sanctioned apparel with “33” on it, so it didn’t make sense in the end.
Dalvin Cook received a bid that was in the neighborhood of $1.5 million.
Cook would have to spend that much money to purchase anything from the league’s authorized retailers. However, a few smaller retailers would be stuck with the bill.
It’s a little bit of a risk for tiny retailers. They are investing, and if a player modifies his number, the store is responsible for paying the price.
To find out more about what players pay and what they are provided by their teams, you have to read Do NFL Players Buy Their Own Equipment?
Do NFL Players Get New Helmets Every Game?
No, the NFL strictly enforces a one helmet per player policy, barring substitutions unless the helmet is seriously broken. Helmets are regularly inspected to make sure that their integrity is not jeopardized.
When necessary, the NFL swaps out helmets. Each helmet undergoes testing each week to make sure it is in good working order.
These helmets are examined for flaws and cracks that can lead to a break in the helmet.
Before each helmet is used in the NFL, it is retouched, which entails painting over existing designs and giving the helmet a fresh coat of paint.
Teams used to use various helmets in the past to coordinate with throwbacks and different uniforms. However, according to the current NFL regulations, athletes are only allowed to wear one helmet every season; otherwise, safety would be jeopardized.
Helmets are never changed until they are so badly broken that they might not even be safe. Teams typically don’t wear the same helmets with alternate or vintage jerseys because of this.
For most of the players, wearing the same helmet throughout the season is not a major concern. The NFL stores their team equipment, including gloves, cleats, and helmets, safely during the season.
Before use, helmets undergo a weekly inspection for significant dents and cracks. If necessary, they are also painted again.
Do NFL Players Get New Cleats Every Game?
Most players have several pairs. There are the rubber bottom ones you might wear on fake turf.
Then you have a pair of actual cleats for natural fields, where the cleats actually help with traction by digging into the turf. They also tend to have a pair or two of ‘everyday’ cleats for practices and warmups.
But generally, no. The fact is that new sneakers in NFL are like new baseball gloves.
It’s not that MLB players don’t make enough to buy new gloves, but new ones are even broken in a bit takes some time before they get ‘loose.’
