We all love a little bit of drama, and it's not often we see uniform-related stories. On September 2, 2023, the University of Houston Cougars football program wore beautiful Columbia Blue jerseys against the UTSA Roadrunners. The NFL quickly took action, threatening the school over their usage of a design clearly inspired by the Houston Oilers' "Luv Ya Blue" jerseys.
The Tennessee Titans own the rights to the Oilers' franchise history and throwback uniform and wore their version as recently as Oct. 29, 2023. On Wednesday, the Houston Chronicle reported the Cougars delivered a stern message to the NFL. They plan on continuing to use the jerseys as an alternate.
The Cougars sent a letter to the NFL in April detailing their intention and how they can rightfully claim the design. Since it's not a straight rip-off and more of an "inspired by" look, the Cougars seem to have a good argument.
Athletic director Chris Pezman said: "We literally have a story we can show the city uses it. This isn't a reach. This is a layup. We've got a very defensible position." He continued, "We're doing it. We've reviewed everything and come to the conclusion that we are going to proceed."
Pezman gave the NFL "two to three weeks" to respond, but the NFL has yet to. If the NFL is exploring its legal options, then they're surely on their own timeline.
The NFL, in a letter from October which was first obtained by the Houston Chronicle, has accused the university of violating the intellectual property rights of the NFL and the Titans by attempting to benefit from their popularity.
What do you think? Is it fair for UH to replicate and put a twist on the Titans' throwback jersey?
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