Steelers Rival Shows Love for Oft-Maligned Bumblebee Throwbacks
Since 2018, the Pittsburgh Steelers have worn throwback uniforms that look largely like the uniforms the team wore during most of its heyday, from 1969 to 1996.
The familiar black jerseys have a gold-and-white, nine-layer stripe patter on the sleeves, television numbers on the shoulder pads, white numerals and gold lettering on the nameplate, a classic Steelers look and one not all that different from what they wear on a regular basis.
The team’s uniform change in 1997 added only the team logo over the left breast and and changed the number font from traditional block to match the italic one used on the team’s helmets.
But before the team wore its current set of throwbacks, the team’s earlier turn-back-the-clocks looks have been a bit wilder.
In 1994, the team wore throwbacks to their original 1933 look, featuring gold jerseys with vertical and v-shaped black stripes, the city crest front and center, and the front uniform numbers moved to the upper right chest area. Combined with khaki-colored pants, the look lasted just one season, as the NFL celebrated its 75th anniversary.
In 2007, the Steelers unveiled throwback uniforms with gold helmets, and tops with all-gold stripes and lettering, a look that persists with the team’s Color Rush uniforms of today.
After the first massive departure from the team’s usual look, the Steelers didn’t try another throwback for a while. In 2012, the team gave it another shot, and brought back one of their most famous (or infamous) uniforms of all time.
To celebrate the club’s 80th anniversary, the Steelers introduced uniforms that mimicked the look of the 1934 team, featuring black and gold hoops and black numerals in white black boxes, front and back.
The Steelers again paired the uniforms with khaki pants, and this time, with hooped socks that matched the top, creating a look that was loved by some, but loathed by even more.
The “bumblebee” uniform, as it became known, was immediately disliked by even some on the team. It was later rated as one of the ugliest uniforms in NFL history — though it definitely sold better in the retail market than the 1933 version.
“This throwback has been a success from a lot of different standpoints,” Art Rooney II said after retiring the uniforms. “Even though some people didn’t like it, the majority of our fans did like it and a lot of them bought the jersey.”
The Steelers retired the uniforms after the 2016 season, but you can still find dedicated lovers of the oft-maligned look today. Apparently, you can count one of the Steelers longest rivals in that group.
Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, calling them “jail uniforms” called the look one of the best of all time.
“If we being honest. Don’t judge me please…. But the Steelers jail uniforms the hardest throwback of all time.” Humphrey wrote on X this week.
Humphrey joined the Ravens in 2017, so his appreciation of the Steelers’ controversial throwback look happened exclusively from a distance.
Could the Steelers make their rival cornerback happy and bring them back? With the NFL expanding the throwback and alternate uniform program to a maximum of four games per season in 2025, the Steelers could wear the look even more than they ever have in the past.