Oregon Ducks, Nike Relationship Demonstrated in Latest NFL Uniforms Release

Even funnier, the same uniforms (with different helmets) were used by the Ducks in 2022 for a road game to Arizona.

Ducks are the blueprint

Though the Ducks originated the speckle print, and both uniforms include minimal embellishments to let the print breathe, the Cardinals did somewhat deviate from the original Oregon release.

First off, Arizona uses red and orange numbers and pants stripes that deviate from Oregon's "mallard green" letters and lack of pant details. The Cardinals also moved logos to the side of the shoulder pads instead of the chest like Oregon, with a large state of Arizona badge glimmering in copper and red on the right shoulder (very similar to the Cardinals' usual logo placement for uniforms).

Arizona's helmet is also slightly different, with the Cardinals opting for a base that matches their jerseys with a smaller speckle print throughout and a red and orange Cardinal logo.

The fan comparisons say it all

With the release of the Cardinals' new uniforms, many football fans were quick to point out the presumed Duck inspirations. We've gathered a few of the most popular reactions below.

Social media similarities

Another small detail that links the two uniform releases is the social media makeovers of both teams. Back in 2021, the Ducks replaced their @oregonfootball "X" (formerly Twitter) photo with a speckled white "O".

On Thursday, the Cardinals also released a speckled logo with their uniforms, with the brown and creme pattern behind an outline of the familiar Cardinal logo.

The Cardinals aren't the first to copy the Ducks

Believe it or not, the Cardinals aren't even the first NFL to seemingly borrow Oregon's former designs for this rivalry uniform rollout. The Seattle Seahawks are also facing heat as their rivalry uniforms bear a similar resemblance to the Ducks' "Warp Speed" all-white uniform from the "Generation O" line last year.

Will more teams copy the Ducks?

Yes, is the short answer. Due to Oregon's long-standing partnership with sportswear brand Nike, the company tests out a lot of their designs on Oregon athletes. If there's a new design in football uniforms, chances are, they were first tested in Eugene, Oregon with the Ducks.

"Their performance team could develop [a uniform] from beginning to end in about three years. So that's how we got on a cadence of a new uniform set every three years," said Oregon football equipment administrator Kenny Farr in Oregon's "Rooted in Substance" documentary about Oregon's history with Nike.

"Hey, let's try it with Oregon first. Top secret projects - you [Oregon players] get to wear it first. Now you've got these people that are test pilots at University of Oregon testing the latest great product," said Todd Van Horne, a former designer for Nike and founder of Van Horne Brands.