When the Washington Commanders announced their throwback uniforms honoring their Super Bowl glory days, one NFL legend couldn’t contain his excitement. JJ Watt approved of the retro look and made it clear these uniforms deserve to stay for good.
What Did JJ Watt Say About the Commanders’ New Throwback-Style Uniforms?
Nostalgia runs deep in the NFL, especially among longtime fans who followed the league from the 1970s to the 1990s. The sport’s aesthetics from that era continue to be celebrated today, inspiring teams to wear throwback uniforms in select games throughout the season.
Washington’s former identity, though controversial, was once one of the most recognizable in the NFL. The franchise even crossed into streetwear culture with one of the league’s most iconic logos during the Redskins era. However, in 2020, the franchise rebranded, changing its name and overall aesthetic.
This shift distanced some fans from the team’s golden era, which spanned the 1980s to the early 1990s. During that time, the franchise won three Super Bowls in the 1982, 1987, and 1991 seasons. The 2025 throwback uniforms will honor those three championship teams.
Now, going on six years since the team rebranded, they are bringing back uniforms from some of their best years.
Weaving past and present
We’re adding back the Super Bowl Era threads to our uniform rotation pic.twitter.com/9nKrTYVABk
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 9, 2025
Watt not only approved of the move, but he also took to X to call for the franchise to adopt the look as its permanent white uniform. He responded to the announcement with three direct words: “Make ’em permanent,” Watt posted.
🎯🎯🎯
Make ’em permanent.
— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) July 9, 2025
What Makes Washington’s Throwback Uniforms So Special?
The classic design is the same one the franchise wore in each of those Super Bowl wins and serves as a way to reclaim part of the identity lost during the rebrand.
The uniform will be worn in the Sunday Night Football matchups against the Seattle Seahawks on November 2, the Denver Broncos on November 30 , and the Christmas game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Beyond the nostalgia factor, the idea to release throwback uniforms is also a way to capitalize on the hype surrounding Jayden Daniels. The young quarterback has brought the Commanders back into the spotlight and enters 2025 as one of the NFC’s rising stars.
This approach of leveraging the momentum of a breakout quarterback in his early years was also seen with the Cincinnati Bengals and the Houston Texans. Both teams launched new uniforms in Joe Burrow’s and C.J. Stroud’s second seasons, embracing a new era for their franchises.
History doesn’t fade…it fuels the future. pic.twitter.com/MFJbsyMymH
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 9, 2025
Washington released a video featuring footage from the championship games that cemented the uniform in the team’s legacy. The reactions were mostly positive, with many fans echoing Watt’s opinion that these should become the standard white uniforms in the rotation.
While the franchise is finally starting to re-acknowledge its time as the “Redskins,” it is unlikely they will change the name back due to changing sensitivities and the history behind the name. Still, having them adopt the throwback uniforms, even if they don’t have the iconic logo, is a nice callback to one of the NFL’s most historic teams.
