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Shutdown Corner

Mon May 11, 2009 1:07 pm EDT

A look at the AFL legacy uniforms: The 1961 New York Jets/Titans

By MJD

Eight former AFL teams will wear 1960s throwback uniforms during "legacy games" in the 2009 season. Shutdown Corner takes a look back (or ahead, if you will) at those throwback jerseys in advance of the season. Today, we look at the 1961 New York Titans.

The uniforms the Jets will be sporting during "legacy games" won't be anything new or shocking to the eyeball, as the Jets have been wearing these things as "throwbacks" for the past year or two. We are already familiar with their ugly nature.

I do have one little gripe, though. The throwbacks the Jets have been wearing have the white stripes surrounding the yellow stripe on the shoulder, which were the uniforms they wore in 1962. In 1961, though, the year that the Jets are supposed to be emulating during "legacy games," there was no shoulder stripe. Just solid blue.

Dick Jamieson appears to be very happy without the stripe, while Dick Christy seems confused and upset by his stripe. I'd like to compliment the Titans' team barber for his tremendously consistent work, though.

From this image, it's kind of hard to tell if there's any shoulder striping or not. None is visible, but Rex Ryan is sort of obscuring the sleeves there.

Like I said, I think these things are ugly. It's an odd shade of blue. It's like someone once had a navy blue shirt, and then they washed it a thousand times, and took on this slight dirty tinge of brown over the years. And the yellow is a bit mustard-ish, which seems to have been the trend at the time.

Related: Back in the Day

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76 Comments

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  1. The Wiz
    1. Posted by The Wiz Mon May 11, 2009 1:29 pm EDT

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    Was Morten Andersen playing during the 60's?
  2. Vladinator
    2. Posted by Vladinator Mon May 11, 2009 1:38 pm EDT

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    Amusing to notice, Josh McDaniels is holding up a #6 jersey, in that link
  3. Tugboat25
    3. Posted by Tugboat25 Mon May 11, 2009 2:31 pm EDT

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    I think the New York Titans uniforms are actually pretty cool looking. They have that hard-nosed, old-time football style to them. It's a no frills, we're not here for fashion style. It's old school...as it should be.
    Now lets see an article about the horrid uniforms teams wear nowadays, starting with the Denver Broncos and the N.E. Patriots. Man, those teams have just Awful uniforms.
  4. Gary
    4. Posted by Gary Mon May 11, 2009 2:51 pm EDT

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    Maybe they don't wear them today is because they are UGLY
  5. phantom72
    5. Posted by phantom72 Mon May 11, 2009 3:20 pm EDT

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    Hey, I've got a great idea...why not go back to the jerseys they wore in their Super Bowl season of '69? oh, I forgot.... Been there, done that....
  6. Anthony D
    6. Posted by Anthony D Mon May 11, 2009 3:24 pm EDT

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    Given their performance over the past 4 decades or so, perhaps they should just make the switch permanent. They couldn't do much worse as NY Titans than they have as the Jets. Besides, they usually win in the throwbacks. I say keep the throwbacks and ditch the green. I don't want to hear anything about ugly throwbacks because nothing is uglier than those stupid looking green pants.
  7. n0m0nn
    7. Posted by n0m0nn Mon May 11, 2009 3:43 pm EDT

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    Hey I LIKE those uniforms, they look like real throw back football players.
    The modern uniforms are girlie looking, and they play like it!!!
    Also anyone take a look at their record when wearing these throw back uniforms last year???
    It was a winning record.
  8. PhilipT
    8. Posted by PhilipT Mon May 11, 2009 3:53 pm EDT

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    Hey, this is FANtasy throwback. I literally cut my teeth on the Titans, then they became the JETS and were the first AFL team to beat an NFL team (Don Shula's!). 'Broadway Joe' tossed a few balls with my friends and I when we walked home from school, and treated us to Orange Julious afterward.
    That's a throwback, not to be confused with a lateral, pitchback, or 'Statue of Liberty' play!!!
    That we all saw back in the day ....
  9. PhilipT
    9. Posted by PhilipT Mon May 11, 2009 4:15 pm EDT

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    Hey, this is FANtasy throwback. I literally cut my teeth on the Titans, then they became the JETS and were the first AFL team to beat an NFL team (Don Shula's!). 'Broadway Joe' tossed a few balls with my friends and I when we walked home from school, and treated us to Orange Julious afterward.
    That's a throwback, not to be confused with a lateral, pitchback, or 'Statue of Liberty' play!!!
    That we all saw back in the day ....
  10. Jamal
    10. Posted by Jamal Mon May 11, 2009 8:34 pm EDT

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    Haha, I love how Rex Ryan is holding up Lito, I wish him the best he was a great corner for Philly, and he better tear it up against Dallas if they play in the coming years
  11. Bill
    11. Posted by Bill Tue May 12, 2009 10:02 am EDT

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    as a Jet Fan, I think its time for a new uniform for the team. I think they should go with black pants, green jerseys with black numbers outlined in white. Black helmets with green logo...but the logo from the 80's witht the slanted "jets" writing. any opinions?
  12. Richard
    12. Posted by Richard Tue May 12, 2009 10:09 am EDT

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    Those old uniforms were not meant to be flashy, they were meant to be simple as the game was back then, today there is just too many rules and regulations...not that there weren't rules and regs back then, but they were much simpler rules of the game, back in the smashmouth hard hitting days of football. It was played like it is supposed to be played....unlike today!!!
  13. you've been pwned!
    13. Posted by you've been pwned! Tue May 12, 2009 10:19 am EDT

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    i agree with bulldog, the old days of football were the best. unlike now, that is why i was going to watch the Arena Football season, if it wasn't canceled!
  14. h2ofield
    14. Posted by h2ofield Tue May 12, 2009 11:02 am EDT

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    as helmets & cages are different nowadays, these throwbacks just don't quite work.
  15. Dave Wapensky
    15. Posted by Dave Wapensky Tue May 12, 2009 11:31 am EDT

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    How about just for this year they play without face guards like the old days. Let them use some of those big salarys for a trip to the dentist.
  16. Dave Wapensky
    16. Posted by Dave Wapensky Tue May 12, 2009 11:34 am EDT

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    How about letting them play without face guards this year. Let them use those big salarys for dental work.
  17. Stephen M
    17. Posted by Stephen M Tue May 12, 2009 12:11 pm EDT

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    i don't recall the titans ever having a wining season. why emulate that?
  18. Linkslifer
    18. Posted by Linkslifer Tue May 12, 2009 1:12 pm EDT

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    Yo...JETS fan for 45 years....they should wear the throwbacks all the time. We got our one Super Bowl out of the green and white!!!
  19. NostraChronus
    19. Posted by NostraChronus Tue May 12, 2009 3:09 pm EDT

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    I think the team jersey is the least of the Jets' problems.
  20. Bill
    20. Posted by Bill Tue May 12, 2009 3:31 pm EDT

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    As a Jet Fan, I think its time for a new uniform for the team. I think they should go with black pants, green jerseys with black numbers outlined in white. Black helmets with green logo...but the logo from the 80's witht the slanted "jets" writing. any opinions?
  21. Matt
    21. Posted by Matt Tue May 12, 2009 3:41 pm EDT

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    Couple of comments on this.
    1) Who cares
    2) Jets suck as the Jets, Titans, purple people eaters ... whatever they wear
    3) AFL should not be celebrated .. was its own league because nobody wanted them to be part of the NFL. Based on some of the teams listed maybe we should create a new AFL and put the Raiders, Jets, Bills etc over there to play each other.
    4) Did I mention who cares
  22. ilovepiehowrare
    22. Posted by ilovepiehowrare Tue May 12, 2009 5:12 pm EDT

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    ok.
    "1." many people care. because it's NY. the most cherished and richest market. and that IS fact. so yes, lots of people care.
    "2." talking out of your ass just b/c this article isn't about your team is quite stupid.
    "3." unless your a Steelers fan, your team sucks too because it's all about the championship. if you are, then congrats
    "4." did i mention that 'matthew' in latin means 'little boy toucher'
  23. Bill
    23. Posted by Bill Tue May 12, 2009 5:49 pm EDT

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    well said #22. and little boy toucher (#21)... i think you care, or why take the time to read the article AND comment on it.
  24. Dano
    24. Posted by Dano Tue May 12, 2009 7:33 pm EDT

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    Even thou I am an AFC East rival, and hate the Jets, I like the "Old School" Uniforms. More teams should use them.
  25. Stephen M
    25. Posted by Stephen M Tue May 12, 2009 9:44 pm EDT

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    if the vikings wear there old uni's there'd be snow on their shoulder magaurds

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