Get ready for a black-out next Monday. The Detroit Lions will debut their new alternate uniform on the national stage on Monday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks.
Justin Rogers reported it on the latest episode of the Detroit Football Network podcast after the Lions' 20-13 win over the Cardinals.
"I will break some news and confirm that the black jerseys are coming out next week for their debut," he said. "Been sitting on that for a week. I also know the second game they’re wearing them, so come back for that. That might be a little story next week."
The black uniform is a remake of the alternates the Lions briefly rocked in the mid 2000's. Dan Campbell, who wore that jersey when he played for Detroit, asked team president Rod Wood early in his tenure as head coach, "Hey Rod, when can we get the black jerseys back?"
And Wood told him, "I’ll make a deal. When you win the division, I’ll bring the black jerseys back."
Campbell and the Lions delivered last season with the team's first division title in 30 years, and Wood held up his end of the bargain this offseason.
The original black jerseys harken back to a bad era of football, of course. Over the three seasons they wore them, the Lions had twice as many losses as wins. But Wood expects that narrative to change.
"There’s a little history there and I’m well aware of it, but we’re a new team, new leadership, new players and I think the past is the past," said Wood. "It reminded (the fans) of a time they want to forget. But hopefully this is a time they always want to remember."
The new black jerseys will go with either black or blue pants -- they were paired with silver pants back in the day -- and the blue helmet with black accents that the Lions debuted last season.