Rollover zoom in the final design allows for closer inspection of details

In early 2024, the Denver Broncos announced they would be moving away from their 1997 uniform concept. As one of the more egregious examples of outdated design elements (two-tone piping, WordArt-esque wordmark, mismatched stripe transitions, etc), this announcement was met with broad anticipation. As the release of the design loomed, leaks from inside the building started to paint a clearer view of what fans might expect from the new design. These rumors can be summarized roughly as follows:

• The primary jerseys will be orange and feature mountains on the sleeves

• There will be a white "snow-capped" helmet

• There will be subtle reference to the elevation in the numbers

• The number 5280 will be referred to in the concept

I thought it would be fun to design my version of this uniform within the constraints of the leaks. At a very, very high level, I wanted to pull in the color scheme and logo from the early Elway era uniform. The royal blue and orange combination have a classic, retro quality that feels emblematic to the city they represent, while having a true novelty amongst a crowd of uniforms that cannibalize each other across the league.

I found I could adapt the sleeve stripes from the 90s reference into the new design guidelines using mountains as the white portion of the stripe and the sky behind it as the blue part of the stripe. I wanted these mountains to do something no uniform has tried: incorporate realism into a uniform design. I could accomplish this goal while referencing the tradition of outdoor sports characteristic of the area by crafting these mountains in the style of a James Nieheus (The Man Behind the Maps) ski map.

For the helmet, I found the "snow-capped" leak to be a compelling concept. I thought more deeply about how to turn this into a unique design with more depth and complexity than just a plain white shell. I landed on the idea of using pearlescence and subtle shimmer to evoke the texture of fresh snowfall.

Moving on to the number font, it felt fitting for a team represented by a symbol of the wild west (a mustang) to have western elements. Borrowing from the signage often found in old mountain mining towns, I chose a font with an unmistakeable link to the cowboy culture of the region.

Within this final design element, I added the final constraint from the leaks: the reference to altitude. I represented this motif using topographical lines corresponding to Pikes Peak (the tallest peak in Colorado) patterned within the numbers.

Finally, to bring a sense of levity and swagger to the design while completing the set of unique references to the area, I chose to put the words "Mile High" underneath the shield on the front of the jersey, a reference to Denver and the Broncos' stadium nicknames. I also added 5280 to the nameplate of the helmet, to bring the final look together. I think the final product is detailed, yet minimal. Unique and custom, but highly referential to the classic looks the franchise has worn before. Specific to the region, but careful not to veer into kitsch.

About one month after I made this design, the Broncos franchise released their official new look. For comparison, I've attached it below.

My honest take here is that the new look is a half-measure. By keeping some outdated elements (the 90s horse head and wordmark) while modernizing others (matte helmet, "thin air" punchouts in the numbers), elements like the mountains on the sleeve get caught between eras, not truly belonging to any particular time period and feeling lacking in visual impact. That said, uniforms often take a few seasons to earn their standing within the brand identity of a team. We'll see how these ones age.