Navy’s 2020 uniforms for the Army game celebrated the academy’s 175th anniversary. (Navy Athletics)
The 125th edition of the Army-Navy Game is set to take place in Landover on Saturday in one of the most anticipated matchups in the history of the storied rivalry.
It’s an annual contest rich in tradition, from the pregame ceremonies to the style of play on the field. One of the more recent additions to the fanfare has been the introduction of specialty uniforms with both sides donning unique alternate looks to commemorate the service of their respective military branches.
Navy has played its part with a wide range of looks over the years, starting with Nike-designed one-off alternate jerseys in 2008 and evolving into the head-to-toe makeovers created by their current manufacturer Under Armour in recent seasons.
Here’s a ranking of the top 10 uniforms the Midshipmen have trotted out against Army heading into the 2024 contest.
10. 2014 — ‘Don’t Tread on Me’ uniforms
The 2020 “Don’t Tread on Me” uniforms. (Navy Athletics)
This set was Under Armour’s debut kit for Army-Navy in what has become an annual contest of Nike (Army) vs. Under Armour (Navy). These alternates were inspired by the First Navy Jack flag with red and white stripes on the sleeves, helmets and pants. The stripes were a little much, knocking them on these rankings, but the uniforms crack the top 10 for their originality.
9. 2015 — Mono-blue uniforms with gray accents and gold trim
Navy’s 2015 uniforms make the list for the helmets alone. (Navy Athletics)
These uniforms make the list for the helmets alone. Navy debuted custom-painted lids for the first time with aircraft carriers patrolling the open waters adorned on either side. The all-blue look was solid, but the gold trim made the overall design a little blocky.
8. 2022 — Astronaut suits
The uniforms for the 2022 game paid tribute to Naval Academy alumni who went on to work for NASA. (Diana Quinla/U.S. Navy)
In a tribute to Naval Academy alumni who went on to work for NASA, these astronaut-inspired all white uniforms had blue numbers and a red trim. The helmets were another masterpiece with a painted NASA logo sitting over top of the moon on one side and Annapolis graduate Bruce McCandless II in a spacesuit with Earth behind him on the other.
7. 2021 — ‘Fly Navy’ uniforms
The 2021 uniforms celebrated Navy pilots. (Navy Athletics)
Another custom-painted helmet here with the Midshipmen paying tribute to the F/A 18 Super Hornet strike fighters flown by Navy pilots. The roundel symbol, an insignia displayed on aircraft across all U.S. military branches, is featured prominently on the shoulders of this patriotic very look of red, white and blue.
6. 2011 — The first Nike Pro Combat uniforms
The Nike Pro Combat series in 2011. (Navy Athletics)
Heralded at the time as the future of football uniforms, the Nike Pro Combat series wasn’t unique to Army-Navy, but the Midshipmen had one of the best designs of the group. The all-deep blue jersey/pants combo with gold numbers and white helmets was a fresh take on a classic look, especially for the helmets that had an anchor stenciled in gold over the white.
5. 2013 — War of 1812 uniforms
Members of the Navy Midshipmen, wearing uniforms inspired by the War of 1812, rehearse drills before the start of the 2013 Army-Navy football game, Dec. 14, 2013, Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. (Philip Diab/U.S. Army)
Two hundred years after 1813, the bloodiest of the four years spanning the War of 1812, both Army and Navy drew their jersey inspiration from soldiers who fought in the conflict. In Nike’s final year producing their jerseys, Navy wore blue jerseys adorned with the final command of Navy Capt. James Lawrence: “Don’t give up the ship.” The tri-colored helmets with a chrome gold stripe across the side were particular fan favorites. It also snowed on the day of the game, which just made the entire uniform look that much cooler.
4. 2018 — “Bill the Goat” uniforms
Navy’s Malcom Perry on a punt return at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Dec. 8, 2018. (James E. Harvey/U.S. Army)
There was nothing crazy about the Navy’s uniforms here, but the classic white-on-white look was perfectly executed with blue and gold stripes on the pants and a similar style on the shoulders. The helmets paid tribute to the Midshipmen’s longtime mascot, Bill the Goat, with the iconic logo on the side of the chrome blue lids.
3. 2023 — “Silent Service” uniforms
Navy’s 2023 uniforms were designed in honor of the Navy’s “Silent Service” submarine force. (Navy Athletics)
Call it recency bias, but last year’s uniforms land in the top three for their deep sea blue theme that was striking opposite Army’s desert-inspired look. Designed in honor of the Navy’s “Silent Service” submarine force, Under Armour created a custom blue color for the uniforms fittingly dubbed “Eclipse Navy.” The painted helmets had Virginia Class submarines on one side, which were almost as cool as the color-changing paint used for the Navy anchor on the other that mimicked the display of submarine radar systems when they lock onto a target.
2. 2017 — The Blue Angels uniforms
The uniforms in the 2017 game honored the Blue Angels. Here, Terrance Laster, right, congratulates Malcolm Perry. (EJ Hersom/Department of Defense)
Royal blue can be hit or miss on football uniforms, but Navy pulled it off by using striking gold trim along the sides to produce an overall sleek look. Like many of the uniforms on this list, the helmets were the crowning jewel with F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets previously flown by the Blue Angels, the Navy’s premier flight team, on the side and top.
1. 2020 — Navy’s 175th anniversary uniforms
The 2020 uniforms celebrated the 175th anniversary of the academy. (Navy Athletics)
Celebrating the academy’s 175th anniversary, Navy wore white jerseys and white pants with blue and white marble helmets in a nod to the stone that can be found in prominent locations on campus, including the crypt of John Paul Jones and Bancroft Hall. It was a unique look that landed in both style and meaning, earning it the No. 1 spot on these rankings.
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