Lions and Jaguars debut Rivalries uniforms in Week 8

The Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars will change their visual identity on Sunday when they each debut a brand new uniform against their respective opponents.

The Lions will face the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC North matchup, while the Jaguars will host the Indianapolis Colts. Both games are scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. ET and will be played in the home teams' stadiums.

The new gear is part of the NFL's Rivalries program, which assigns each team a unique design based on local themes. For Detroit, the collaboration with Nike produced a set called Defend the Den. The uniform consists of a white jersey, white pants, and a helmet in Honolulu blue. The team stated that the carbon fiber texture within the decals symbolizes elite performance and links to Detroit's automotive and racing heritage.

In Jacksonville, the design pays tribute to the city and Duval County. The Jaguars will wear a white jersey with black pants. The most distinct feature is the helmet, which marks the first time the franchise has used a teal shell. The back bumper displays the word Duval, while the front features the city's 904 area code. The team noted that the font used for the numbers draws from the historic music venues and southern rock influence found in the region.

These are not the first Rivalries uniforms worn this season, but they will be the next to appear. All four teams in the NFC North and AFC South have created their designs, but only the Indianapolis Colts and Green Bay Packers have worn theirs so far. The Colts used their new look during a Week 3 victory over the Houston Texans. The Packers debuted their uniform in a Week 5 win against the Chicago Bears, ending the game with a score of 31 to 7.

The Green Bay victory means the record for teams wearing Rivalries uniforms this year stands at 2 and 0. The Lions and Jaguars will attempt to extend that streak on Sunday. The NFL has outlined the remaining schedule for these uniforms, noting that only the home team wears the special kit in each matchup.

The Lions will next wear the design on Dec. 20 in Week 15 against the Vikings. The Jaguars have a similar appearance planned for Nov. 15 in Week 10 against the Tennessee Titans. The remaining AFC South and NFC North dates include the Colts at the Texans on Nov. 19 and the Packers at the Bears on Dec. 25.

Each team will wear its Rivalries uniform only once during the 2026 season. However, the league allows teams to keep the design in their rotation for the following three years. The program began in 2025 with the AFC East and NFC West teams. It will continue through 2028, at which point all 32 NFL teams will have unveiled their specific designs. The AFC West and NFC East are scheduled for 2027, while the AFC North and NFC South are slated for 2028.

The Lions and Jaguars join the growing list of franchises embracing the concept, as the league works toward a complete set of 32 unique looks by the end of the program.