Commanders to debut black uniforms vs. Cowboys in Week 4 originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
ASHBURN, Va. — It didn’t take long for those present to notice a major aesthetic difference in the Washington Commanders‘ practice uniforms on Wednesday.
Players took the field Wednesday wearing the team’s alternate helmets, as opposed to the traditional matte burgundy look they’ve rocked throughout the season. Washington plans to debut its new all-black uniform this Sunday in Dallas, the first time the franchise has ever sported a look of such color.
For the most part, the reaction from the players consisted of excitement.
“I think they’re sharp,” quarterback Carson Wentz said. “Hopefully we execute well wearing them, but I think they’re sharp. I think guys will be excited for it.”
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Offensive tackle Sam Cosmi offered a similar sentiment about the look as his quarterback.
“I think it’s pretty cool. I think it’s a really good look,” Cosmi said. “It’s different, something that hasn’t been seen in Washington before. So I really like them. I think they look really nice. They’re very sleek.”
Cornerback Kendall Fuller mentioned that it’s usually Washington’s special teamers — Tress Way, Camaron Cheeseman and Joey Slye — that put the uniform on first during game days. He plans to break down each of their looks in the all-black uniforms before coming up with how he wants to style it himself.
“Tress and Cheese and Joey are the first ones to put it on,” Fuller said. “So I’m always looking at them, seeing what I like, seeing what I need to change and stuff like that. It’s definitely going to be fun.”
While many of Washington’s players are looking forward to debuting the new look, linebacker Cole Holcomb didn’t think it was a big deal one way or another.
“I just play football,” he said.
Commanders head coach Ron Rivera took a similar approach when discussing the uniforms, downplaying the importance of debuting the new look on the road.
“I mean, it’s one of the uniforms we have. It’s one of the alternatives,” Rivera said. “And we thought wearing black would be good.”
The Commanders have worn their white uniforms with burgundy pants in each of their first three games this season. In the preseason, Washington wore all-white in the first game before breaking out the white-on-burgundy combination in both Kansas City and Baltimore.
Washington plans to debut its burgundy jersey in Week 5 at home against Tennessee, according to the team’s previously released uniform schedule.
After losing back-to-back games in rough fashion, the Commanders needed to make a switch. Maybe the uniform change provides a jolt of energy.