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49ers blend tradition and fresh style with new 'Rivalries' uniforms

Originally posted on San Francisco 49ers on SI
By Parker Hurley | Last updated Aug 28, 2025 12:30 PM ET

The San Francisco 49ers will be debuting a brand new uniform combination this season. The team is collaborating with Nike to put together a new ‘Rivalries’ uniform that will be featured in week 18 when the 49ers take on their rival Seattle Seahawks. The Seahawks will be wearing their rendition of the rivalry uniforms for the game as well.

San Francisco 49ers unveil new uniforms

There are a few notable features that make the new jerseys more fan-friendly and may increase the need for fans to purchase the new clothes. First, the players had a big say in how the uniforms look, which is a cool touch. It also gives a personable feel, whereas some of the uniform combinations look too futuristic, or too old and funky.

The helmet is something that will be new for the 49ers. It will feature a midnight black shell, veering away from the conventional colors of the classic 49ers. If you are going to go all black, the move is to make it from head to toe. The gold helmets with all black uniforms were just a bit off, where as this look is much cleaner and easier to look at.

The team went with their all black uniforms and red writing, which they had done before. However, they had two nice touches to improve this rendition. The 49ers added gold outlines to the numbers. When they went all black with red, they were taking too much away from the traditional 49ers.

Nothing like The Bay.#FTTB pic.twitter.com/pJcVLo0z3Z
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 28, 2025

Moving the helmets to black and adding the outline of the numbers to gold is not just a better image for fans; it keeps the traditional Niners look intact. They also kept the Sallom style numbering, which was a smart decision.

As noted, sometimes these new uniforms can try to pull too far into the future and end up losing some of the classic touches that make them who they are. The 49ers are known for their gold accents and the Saloon numbers. So, they were still able to zoom into a futuristic look without stomping out the past.

The last touch is adding the words ‘faithful’ as script right beneath the color. Of course, this is a shoutout to the fans as the nation is the 49ers faithful. This is a smart way to get fans on your side, and the players will wear the jerseys knowing that the city is behind them.

It is a fun upgrade, and since it is only one game, a potential meaningless week 18 game, it is a smart soft launch that will not disappoint too many fans.

This article first appeared on San Francisco 49ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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