The Tennessee Titans announced Thursday that they are getting rid of their controversial throwback uniforms for the 2025 season.
The Titans revealed a new color scheme for their home uniforms on Thursday, switching to a light blue color that has been associated with the franchise since its days in Houston. As part of the announcement, however, the team quietly stated that the Houston Oilers throwback uniforms they have worn for the last two seasons will be retired.
The uniforms were popular among Titans fans, and many voiced their disappointment. However, the move should prove popular with fans in Houston, who have resented the Titans appropriating what they see as their history. When the Titans wore the Oilers throwbacks against the Texans in January, Brock Vereen of CBS Sports argued it would be taken as a massive insult in Houston and said he hoped the Titans would “lose by 1,000 points.”
The Titans retained ownership of the Oilers’ history and color scheme when they moved from Houston to Nashville following the 1996 season. The situation rose to the point that the NFL had to broker a compromise allowing the Texans to use the Oilers’ Columbia Blue as part of an alternate uniform. This came after the NFL blocked the University of Houston from wearing uniforms that were seen as too similar to the ones the Oilers used to wear.
Houston fans will presumably be glad to see their old uniforms no longer being used by the team that ditched their city. However, the Titans’ color scheme will more closely resemble that of the Oilers, so it is not exactly a clean trade.
