Lions, Jaguars Debut Special Kits

The Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars will each wear a special uniform for the first time on Sunday in Week 8. Both games are scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff at home. Detroit hosts the Minnesota Vikings, while Jacksonville welcomes the Indianapolis Colts. Neither franchise had the opportunity to play in these designs previously, despite earlier public reveals.

The attire is part of the NFL's Rivalries program, which requires teams to create a look based on local community themes. The Lions collaborated with Nike on a design called Defend the Den. The outfit consists of a white jersey and white pants, paired with a Honolulu blue helmet. The team stated that carbon fiber in the helmet decal symbolizes elite performance and connects to Detroit's automotive and racing history.

The Jaguars chose a tribute to the city and Duval County as their foundation. Their helmet is teal, a color the franchise has not used before. The word Duval appears on the back bumper, and the 904 area code is displayed on the front. The rest of the uniform features a white jersey and black pants. The number font was designed to reflect the historic music venues and southern rock influence associated with Jacksonville.

Other teams in the NFC North and AFC South have already revealed their designs, but only the Packers and Colts have worn them in games. Green Bay debuted its look in a 31-7 win over the Bears in Week 5. Indianapolis wore its kit in a Week 3 victory against the Texans. Teams are 2-0 in Rivalries uniforms this season.

The program rules dictate that only the home team wears the special uniform in designated matchups. The remaining schedule for these teams includes the Jaguars at the Titans on Nov. 15, the Colts at the Texans on Nov. 19, the Lions at the Vikings on Dec. 20, and the Packers at the Bears on Dec. 25. Each team will wear its new design once this season, with the option to keep it in rotation for the next three years.

The initiative started in 2025 with the AFC East and NFC West. The AFC West and NFC East are scheduled for 2027, while the AFC North and NFC South are set for 2028. All 32 teams will have unveiled a Rivalries design by that time. The source notes that teams have embraced the concept so far.