Jerseys - Game-Worn, Team-Issued, Authentic, Replica, Fake, and everything in between

[Mark The Homer]

Happy Memorial Day!

I've been meaning to make this thread for about two years. My goal here is to create one thread, and using the edit feature, assemble one post, which will eventually supply all the information about any and every kind of Redskins jersey available now or ever worn in the past. If successful, it will some day be a one-stop source to answer any and all questions anybody would have regarding any Redskins jersey ever made. I'll need help from members of the board to make this post complete.

I'll start on current jerseys and work backwards.

Photos will follow, of course.

If you see the dreaded red X instead of a pic, or you'd like to see the pic in higher resolution, try clicking on it. I've reinforced some of the photo links with other independent photo links of the same pic. Some of these reinforced links are larger, higher resolution pics.

Game Jerseys*

Excluding "Game-cut" jerseys, Game jerseys are jerseys issued to the team intended to be used in a game. They are unavailable by retail. There are several sub-categories:

• GAME-CUT - A term referring to jerseys that are the same size, design, and made of the same fabric that a specific player would wear on game day, and tagged in the same manner. These jerseys should not be confused with Team-Issued or Game-Ready, as they will not have received the final customization that a specific player desires--nor do these jerseys originate from a team's equipment room. These jerseys go directly from the manufacturer to the NFL for retail purposes. I believe this category is currently being phased out.
  
• TEAM-ISSUED - ordered by a team and intended for game use--but not worn or used. These jerseys will have been team stock, part of the equipment room inventory, but may not have had player's names applied and will not have received the customization that a specific player may request.
  
• PRESENTATION - used for photo opportunities after a player is drafted, traded for, or signed. It's a team-issued jersey and it will usually have the players intended number and his name on back, but won't have specific customization. The letters for the name on back may be "heat-pressed" by the team rather than sewn or screened. These are generally not used in a game. Because player acquistions tend to happen in the spring before a team has received their jersey stock, presentation jerseys frequently will have a year tag from the prior year.
  
• GAME-READY - Completely ready for the player to use in game action, but not worn or used. These uniforms will have received the final customization that a player may request. These jerseys will often have been part of a player's uniform rotation, and may have been hanging in the player's locker, but for one reason or another never saw game action.
  
• GAME-WORN - Any jersey worn by a player who is on a team's active roster, gets dressed for the game and takes his place on the field is game-worn or game-used. Even if that player is a back-up quarterback who spends the entire game holding a clipboard, his uniform is game-worn/game-used because he was on the sideline, on the active roster and in an able-bodied position to participate in on-field plays. Fortunately, most players who dress for games will participate in those games, even if minimally. And, most game-worn/game-used uniforms will show evidence to that effect.
  

*info credit www.jimyackel.com

Game Jersey Manufacturing

Redskins Game jerseys are currently being made by Ripon Athletic in Berlin, Wisconsin, although to my knowledge the name "Ripon" has never been included on a jersey tag or anywhere else. The jerseys currently carry the Reebok logo which is embroidered on the sleeves, although it looks like a patch. The jerseys also carry a Reebok jock tag sewn on the front near the bottom seam. They’ve carried the Reebok logo since 2002. The game jerseys bore the Adidas logo during the '99-'01 seasons and were actually manufactured by Wilson in their factory outside Nashville, Tennessee. The team wore jerseys manufactured by Ripon which bore the Starter logo in 1998, and the jerseys were made by Wilson with the Wilson logo in 1997. Prior to that and starting in 1991, it was the Starter logo made by Ripon - and Starter was the first uniform sponsor who was not actually involved in manufacturing Redskins game jerseys. In 1990, Redskins jerseys were manufactured by MacGregor Sand-Knit in Berlin, Wisconsin by many of the same people and in the same factory they are currently made, and the jerseys carried the MacGregor logo on the left sleeve. Prior to 1990, there was no visible logo on any Redskins jersey sleeve. Between 1979 and 1989, Redskins game jerseys were made by Russell Athletic. In the mid-late 70s, Redskins game jerseys were made by Champion Industries. In the early / mid 70s, Redskins game jerseys were made by Sand-Knit, a division of Medalist Industries. In 1971, Redskins game jerseys were made by Rawlings. I do not have any information on who made Redskins jerseys prior to the 1970s. If anybody knows anything, please post. Thanks! instant jersey info

Game jerseys generally have two types of sleeves:

1) The open or "skill-cut" sleeve which fans are most familiar with. They have two burgundy & gold or white & gold colored stripes that are thickly screened onto the sleeve. A few years ago, these are usually worn by quarterbacks, kickers, punters, and sometimes wide receivers. But nowadays, it's rare to see even one player wear this style.

2) The elastic or lineman sleeve, which is snug around the player's upper arm. This style first appeared in the 80s. It began as a sleeve with screened stripes that appeared to have some kind of draw string or elastic cord sewn into the seam. They were only used by a few linemen. Later, in the late 80s and early 90s, some sleeves appeared that had quilted stripes, and the fabric of those stripes was elastic. By the mid 90s, the tight sleeves with the screened stripes were abandoned in favor of the tight sleeves with the quilted stripes. Over the years, the sleeve style slowly grew in popularity with the players. Today, roughly 45-50 of the 53 active players wear these sleeves.

Below is Sonny's 1974 jersey, manufactured by Sand-Knit Medalist Industries. The numbers and sleeve stripes are screened. The name on back, however, is sewn and the nameplate is sewn. Both are sewn with the typical zigzag stitch. The gold stripes on the sleeves were narrowed relative to the burgundy stripes, although many players wore '73 jerseys with the older style wider gold stripes.

In the 1977 photo below, you can see the numbers were sewn. The numbers on white jerseys were screened, however.

Below is an example of a Redskins burgundy jersey in 1978. The team finally abandoned sewn numbers. You can see both the stripes and the numbers are screened:

The white jersey had a burgundy and gold collar:

...1979 - 1989

Russell Athletic began manufacturing Redskins game jerseys in 1979. Russell was the sole provider of Redskins gamers through the 80s into 1989. The jerseys were changed significantly. The stripes on the arms were changed from five narrow stripes to two wide stripes. The team added a gold outline to all the numbers but not the letters. And the collar on white jerseys was changed from burgundy & gold to just a solid burgundy.

Below is Joe Lavendar in 1979:

In 1985, Redskins jersey numbers changed to a more rounded number on the inside. You can see on Gary Clark's jersey below, the inside corners change direction at two 45 degree angles on each corner inside, instead of one 90 degree angle.

Most of the jerseys in 1985 and 1986 were this way, with a few exceptions. Below is one exception. Not only are the angles different, the font is much bolder on Don Warren's 1986 jersey. I am not sure why.

Additionally, in 1986 the players wore a 50 year patch celebrating the 50 years of the Washington Redskins from 1937-1986. Interestingly, the five years the team was in Boston were ignored.

In 1987, the team went back to the straight number font. Below is Kelvin Bryant celebrating the Superbowl XXII victory. Again, there were a few players who wore left-over jerseys with the previous year's font.

1988 was the first year of the elastic striped sleeve style.

Below is Russ Grimm resting on the bench.

The below photo was taken in 1989. His jersey is a mesh jersey, meaning the entire jersey is mesh including the sleeves and shoulders. 1989 was the last year the Redskins would wear jerseys that included mesh in the sleeves and shoulders.

photo credit: gettyimages (shown here within permitted guidelines)

Inexplicably, the team abruptly switched to MacGregor Sand-Knit jerseys for the last game @ Seattle in 1989. During that game, the team wore MacGregor Sand-Knit jerseys exclusively.*

1989 - 1990

At the last game of the 1989 season at Seattle, the MacGregor logo suddenly appeared on the right sleeve.*

*info credit: lweidy, ES member

Below is a 1990 MacGregor Sand-Knit jersey. The jersey is nylon except for the spandex in the side panels.

Note the varsity font which had been used since at least the early 70s and was worn during the three Superbowl victories. It was eventually abandoned in 1994 in favor of the straight font.

Jock tag:

Redskins game jerseys included logos on the sleeves starting in 1990, and all game jerseys included the manufacturer's MacGregor Sand-Knit logo on the left sleeve only. The logo was embroidered between the stripes on the elastic portion of the sleeve of the lineman style jerseys.

The logo was embroidered on the burgundy or white stripe of the screened striped sleeve on the "skill" style jerseys.

Here are two team repairs. The one on the right is obvious. For the repair on the left, the hole was large, so the jersey was folded and stitched together from the inside, partially blocking the number.

...1991-1996

In 1991, the team contracted with Starter to provide retail and game jerseys. The Redskins then began using sponsors' logos (rather than manufacturers' logos) on their game jerseys for the first time. Starter contracted with Ripon Athletic to manufacture the Redskins game jerseys for them. This was a natural match, since Ripon was in the process of acquiring MacGreggor Sand-Knit. The MacGregor Sand-Knit logo which had been on the left sleeve the previous year was replaced with the Starter logo on the left sleeve. Oddly, the placement was inconsistent: Sometimes it was placed above the numbers, sometimes below, and sometimes right in the middle. It's possible the inconsistency in logo placement was partly due to the corporate growing pains of Ripon Athletic as they absorbed MacGregor Sand-Knit.

You can see Starter logos in various places on the sleeve below, and you can also see the Starter logo on the jock tag of the #69 jersey below.

Also in 1991, the NFL placed the classic NFL shield on the chest below the chin of all NFL jerseys. Below is Russ Grimm, one of the original Hogs.

Art Monk was not pleased with the idea of having to wear an NFL shield. He considered himself as working for the Redskins, not the league. So he systematically removed the NFL shield from his game jerseys. The league, apparently, never noticed, and he was never disciplined. He played in the Superbowl that season without the NFL shield.

Note the horizontal seam across the players' chests above. Most seams ran below the collar. Some ran even with the NFL shield. The seam placement seemed to vary for no particular reason in 1991. Also note the curved slash at the top left of the "1" on Art's jersey and Charles Mann's jersey. 1991 was the first year this curve at the top of the "1" appeared. This curve was lost in 1997 and later years.

In 1992, Ripon Athletic successfully acquired the building and all the equipment which had been owned by MacGregor Sand-Knit in Berlin, Wisconsin. Ripon also rehired many of the same people who had worked for MacGregor Sand-Knit. Redskin jersey manufacturing continued into the 90's by many of the same people who had made them in the 80's.

Below is a retail authentic jersey purchased at RFK Stadium in the early 1990s. It had both an "L" for size behind the neck and a numeric "48" for size at the jock tag. Note how accurate the details are when compared to a game jersey. This jersey was made in the USA.

The logo was a thick patch, sewn. Note the curve of the slant at the top of the "1."

The horizontal seam across the chest ran below the NFL shield on all loose sleeved jerseys, but it was aligned to run above the shield on some of the tight sleeved jerseys.

The Starter logo, previously found only on the left sleeve, was placed on both sleeves starting in '92.

In 1993, most horizontal seams across the chest were aligned above the NFL shield, although a few ran below the collar. All jerseys with loose sleeves had horizontal seams that ran below the collar.

The straight font appeared on the back of jerseys for the first time, although some jerseys still had the old varsity font.

In 1994, the horizontal seam across the chest finally became consistent. It was aligned just above the NFL shield on all Redskins jerseys and it would stay this way for the next three years. The Starter logo was placed on the sleeves below the number on loose sleeved jerseys and above the number on tight sleeved jerseys. The old varsity letter font used on the nameplate was completely abandoned.

The straight font was adopted and is still being used today.

All jerseys in 1994 carried an NFL 75th anniversary patch.

The team sometimes wore a throwback jersey that year - one that looked like the jersey worn in 1937. The jersey had no numbers on the sleeves, and no stripes either, but included a name on back ( which the 1937 did not have). The helmet was a plain dark burgundy. The uniform included gold pants. Below is the burgundy version of the jersey. The numbers appear to be sewn.

The photo below shows a team-issued white snug-sleeve version of the above throwback jersey, made by Ripon Athletic. It was originally a blank except for the logo, patch, and indian heads. The original owner had the numbers sewn on. The present owner had the jersey shortened and the jock tag reattached. The white version didn't actually exist in 1937.

photo and jersey credit: REDSKINS8181, ES member

In 1995 and 1996, the Starter logo was placed above the number on almost all jerseys with a few exceptions.

1997

Wilson broke the string of sponsorship years Starter enjoyed by apparently outbidding Starter for sponsorship rights in 1997. Jerseys were made at the Wilson factory outside Nashville, Tennessee.

The number font was changed slightly in 1997 - the curve at the top of the number "1" was straightened. Below, Jeff Hostetler sports a JKC patch.

Jack Kent Cooke had financed the building of Jack Kent Cooke Stadium, in Landover, Maryland, but had passed away just months before opening day- September 14, 1997. The JKC patch, I believe, was instituted by John Cooke, Jack Kent Cooke's son and temporary trustee of the team, in honor of his father's life. Since the team, and not Ripon Athletic, added this patch, it was not included on retail jerseys.

Note the horizontal seam across the chest. This seam is different in the two pics above and below: One is below the neckline, one is mid-way. This is confirmed when examining various photos from 1997. It doesn't seem to matter how the sleeves are constructed. The seam varies randomly. It could be that the high seam is indicative of shoulder paneling - and the lower seam was used with jerseys that had no shoulder paneling. Why would some shoulders not be paneled in 1997? Since the Starter logo was a sewn patch, it could have been removed and replaced with a Wilson logo. I'm guessing here.

Note the paneling in Terry Allen's shoulder pads below. Very few jerseys seem to have these seams, and we're not positive whether the jersey was originally constructed with these seams, or if the paneling was part of a customization.

...1998

Starter became the sponsor again after a one-year hiatus. Below is Trent Green in 1998. The paneling on the shoulders was apparently abandoned. The horizontal seam was consistent in 1998, as it was aligned just above the NFL shield on all jerseys as it had been in 1994-1996. The exact number font used in 1991-1996 was not used as the slant in the number 1 had been straightened.

Below is Stubblefield's gamer. He wore a size 52. I've never seen a size bigger than 52 on a gamer. Note the word "Authentic" on the jock tag. It's my understanding that Ripon Athletic did manufacture a limited number of loose sleeve retail authentic jerseys in the 1990s and in 2000 which were exactly like the game jerseys.

Here's a tag from inside Michael Westbrook's game pants. Although Ripon has been making game uniforms for almost 20 years, a tag like this specifically mentioning Ripon has never been attached to a jersey, to my knowledge.

...1999-2001

Redskins jerseys began carrying the Adidas logo in 1999, and Adidas had the jerseys manufactured by Wilson in Tennessee, as they had been in 1997. Jerseys were nylon. However, the fabric in the side panels was made of verticle and horizontal spandex thread, which is consistent with past years. The seam across the chest fell below the neckline on loose sleeved jerseys and the seam was aligned above the NFL shield on the tight-sleeve jerseys. Numbers were screened. Letters were screened onto a nameplate which was sewn onto the jersey by the tackle-twill method. A straight font was used. The Adidas logo is embroidered onto both sleeves above the numbers. Typically, jerseys undergo at least a minor design change with a logo change. The Adidas jerseys were the Redskins' second attempt to begin to form-fit the jersey over a player's shoulder pads to make them tighter and harder for opposing players to grab onto (Wilson was the first attempt with the quilted shoulders). The shoulders were paneled in a 3-D like manner so that it was molded to fit over shoulder pads perfectly. If you try to lay an Adidas jersey flat, it won't lay flat because of the shoulder construction. The jersey will curl up at the shoulders like an orange peel. The tight sleeves (or lineman sleeves as they are sometimes called) are hardly sleeves at all - they're more like simple holes cut into the sides of the body of the jersey.

The font of the 6 and 9 were changed slightly. The inside of the tail of each number is angled rather than verticle.

Game jerseys are significantly longer than retail jerseys because the extra length is needed to compensate for the shoulder pads which lift the jersey up.

The jock tag on 1999 game jerseys still included the word "Authentic." The jersey size is included on a tab. Usually the year is on a tab as well.

1999 jerseys were made with a gold Adidas logo. On white jerseys, the logo was gold with burgundy letters. On burgundy jerseys, the logo was gold with white letters.

Below is a 2000 white Authentic B. Johnson jersey, size 46, purchased from redskins.com. The Adidas logo is a patch sewn onto the sleeve of the jersey. It was made in the USA. I am not sure who actually made this jersey.

Below is a 2000 burgundy Authentic B. Johnson jersey, size 46, also purchased from redskins.com. The difference is, this jersey is a "game-cut" jersey. It has larger numbers everywhere, it's longer, and the logo is not a patch - it's embroidered onto the sleeves. The stripes are much bolder. All the screening on this jersey is much thicker. Apparently, the league's retail division abandoned using conference shields on the chest of retail jerseys because this jersey is missing the NFL shield below the chin. Again, I suspect they omitted the NFL shield to keep it from being confused with a game jersey. Note the lack of retail loop tag behind the neck which is consistent with a game jersey. The horizontal seam is below the collar - and this is also consistent with game jerseys that have loose sleeves. Note the tabs at the jock tag - again - consistent with a game jersey but missing on most retail jerseys. This jersey was "Made in the USA", as indicated on the collar tag -- by Wilson as evidenced by its care tag sewn inside the side seam which is identical to a game jersey care tag during this period. The number font, i.e. the "4", is different than on the white jersey above but consistent with the "4" on Brad's game jersey. Even the care tag is the same as the gamers. This is one of the very last Authentic jerseys the Redskins sold that could be considered "authentic" - as it's exactly like an actual game jersey except for the missing NFL shield.

Below is a pic of a 2000 Adidas replica jersey. Everything on the jersey is screened. Replica jerseys back then were made without the NFL shield. The jock tag shows the size as "XL." It was made in Mexico.

Jersey and photo credit: Fuji869, ES member

Below shows three jerseys. The one on the left is a Reebok replica. The second is an Adidas Authentic, the third is an Adidas Authentic Game Cut. Note the differences in graphic size.

Starting in 2001, Adidas began sewing numbers and name letters onto jerseys - moving back to the method they had used in the early 1970's. This made the jerseys remarkably more attractive. Numbers were sewn onto the jersey using a “tackle-twill” technique which means the thread is sewn in a crossing x-like or zig-zag manner. Jersey numbers on white jerseys from 2001 – 2005 used a large, tough, weather-proof canvas-like burgundy number which was sewn onto a slightly larger gold number with burgundy thread. This created the gold outline around the burgundy number, and also created a very attractive, stiff 2-ply graphic. This double-thick number was then sewn to the jersey with gold thread. Note the jock tag was changed in 2000. The word "Authentic" is no longer included. I suspect this was in anticipation of the league's decision to begin to allow the manufacturing of "authentic" jerseys overseas.

The logo was changed from gold to burgundy in 2000. However, some jerseys worn in 2000 still had gold logos. I assume these gold logos worn in 2000 were left over from 1999. Note the double layered graphics and the two different colored rows of thread holding them in place. The team would sew numbers on this way through 2005.

Below is a Lemar Marshall jersey I found at the FedexField Stadium store for $89.95. I like jerseys that tell a story: Lemar signed with the team on December 26th, 2001 for depth because Lavar Arrington was questionable due to a knee injury and the team had two regular season games left to play due to 9-11. This jersey was made for that purpose, and there is probably a burgundy jersey like this floating around somewhere. This jersey could have been used as a game jersey, but Arrington ended up playing both games, so Lemar, although he signed with the team, was never activated in 2001. This jersey also could have been used as a presentation jersey if the press were interested, but Marshall was a nobody. Since Lemar was never activated, this jersey was never worn. Later that spring, the Redskins signed Pro Bowler Jessie Armstead from the Giants early in 1992 who wanted to keep his #98 , and since Corey Raymer #52 left for San Diego at the same time, Lemar was assigned #52 and kept it for the next two years. Lemar was used mostly on special teams at first. He impressed coaches with his smarts and work ethic. In 2004, Armstead went to the Panthers and Raymer returned to the Redskins expecting to keep his #52, so Lemar was given back his original #98. He became a starter as linebacker on the #2 defense in the league (which ended the season ranked 4th), and eventually became the defensive quarterback in 2005 - going to the playoffs.

...2002-present

Starting in 2002, Redskins jerseys and all NFL jerseys were sponsored by Reebok. I believe this is the first time one company sponsored all jerseys league-wide. The NFL shield sewn to the chest on jerseys was changed too. 2002 marked a significant change in the design, fabrication, and construction of Redskins game jerseys. In a league where any tiniest advantage could be the difference between winning and losing, the team opted to change to a jersey made entirely of spandex fabric.

Below is Ladell Betts' jersey from his rookie year. He wears a size 46. There is no burgundy version of this jersey.

Note the font change in the "6" and "9". Below is an Adidas jersey for comparison.

If you look at the sleeves, you can see the design has been changed on some jerseys. The collar of the sleeve now is independent of the body of the jersey. I believe this design change is the main reason we see very few players wearing the old fashioned style sleeves. This new sleeve design allows for more freedom of movement of the arms, but not all Reebok jerseys with the tight sleeves are like this. Jerseys worn by lineman are more like the old style Adidas jerseys, with the collar of the sleeve attached directly to the side of the jersey. This design allows for larger shoulder pads.

If you study the below pic, you can see two jerseys. The left jersey is a Smoot, the right jersey is an Albright. You can see the shoulder of the Smoot is only about 2 inches long, but the Albright jersey is nearly three times that. However, the Smoot sleeve is significantly longer, whereas the Albright sleeve is shorter. Because the Albright sleeve is shorter, the number is slightly smaller. Another difference - the sleeve's collar on the Smoot jersey is independent of the body, but the bottom collar of the sleeve on the Albright jersey is attached to the body at the underarm. This design change makes this sleeve style jersey more attractive to a wider number of players.

In the below tag, it reads 100% nylon, but the nylon has spandex within it.

Care tag:

Current game jerseys are made entirely of spandex fabric (for the purpose of this discussion, “spandex fabric” is defined as a fabric which is roughly 90% nylon with the remaining 10% made up of spandex thread incorporated within the fabric or thread). Both horizontal and vertical threads are spandex threads reinforced with nylon, which allows the jersey fabric to stretch dramatically in all directions but resist tearing. Spandex is capable of expanding to up to 500%, then retracting to its original size and form without damage.

Game jerseys are significantly longer than retail jerseys because the extra length is needed to compensate for the shoulder pads which lift the jersey up. They're also tighter, and players, especially defensive lineman and linebackers, tend to wear undersized jerseys. Wearing undersized jerseys makes the jerseys fit around them like a huge rubber band, making the fabric extremely tight and difficult to grab by opposing players.

Numbers are sewn onto the jersey using a “tackle-twill” technique which means the thread is sewn in a crossing x-like or zig-zag manner. Jersey numbers on white jerseys from 2001 – 2005 used a large tough, weather-proof canvas-like gold number which was sewn on with gold thread. A slightly smaller tough canvas-like burgundy number was sewn on top of the gold number with burgundy thread. This created the gold outline around the burgundy number. Players’ names are letters made of the same tough canvas-like burgundy fabric as the numbers but without a yellow outline. The font used is a straight font. The letters are sewn onto a nameplate using the tackle-twill stitch. The nameplate is then sewn onto the back of the jersey using the tackle-twill stitch. Most of the time, the nameplate is made of spandex just like the shoulder area, but sometimes the nameplate is made of nylon only with no spandex thread within it. The nameplate has the same texture and appearance as the shoulder area.

Numbers on the front, back, and on the arms can vary in size and length and width by a quarter of an inch from jersey to jersey - even jerseys with the same year tag.

The shoulders are 2-ply, meaning there are two layers of fabric around the shoulders. On some jerseys, the nameplate is sometimes sewn onto the first layer only, leaving the second layer underneath completely free of the nameplate. On other jerseys, the nameplate is sewn through both layers. I believe this second layer of fabric is meant to create less friction when crashing into opponents shoulder pads, as well as provide durability.

In 2002, the Redskins sometimes used a dark burgundy “70th Anniversary” jersey. It included the word “REDSKINS” in white thread embroidered on the upper chest as well as a unique 70th Anniversary patch over the heart. The patch included the words "Washington Redskins 70th Anniversary Est. 1932 Limited Edition". Theis jersey marked 70 years since the team was founded in Boston, although the team didn't move to Washington until 1937 (interestingly, the 50th anniversary jersey was worn in 1986, marking the 50th year the team had been in Washington). There is no screening on the jersey - the sleeve stripes are quilted into the jersey fabric. Numbers are on the shoulders instead of the sleeves. There is no white version of this jersey. The jersey was worn with a spear-and-feather helmet and gold pants. This style was first worn in the Osaka Bowl - the first pre-season game of 2002, and those jerseys included an Osaka Bowl patch on the right side. The Redskins beat San francisco 38-7.

Note that the stripes go only half way around. This is true on both tight and loose sleeves.

This style was worn at home vs the Eagles on Sept. 16th - the Redskins lost 37-7. The jersey was also worn at home against the Saints on Oct 13, 2002. The Redskins lost 43-27. It was worn at home vs. the Colts on Oct 27th, 'Skins won 27-21. It was worn at home vs. the Rams Nov. 24th, Redskins won 20-17. It was worn @ Dallas on Thanksgiving Day, Nov 28th - the Redskins lost 27-20 (interestingly, the Cowboys wore their blue throwbacks for that game - one of the few times during an NFL game where neither team wore white). The Redskins lost again wearing this jersey at home vs the Giants on Dec 8th. The Redskins did not wear their normal burgundy jersey during the 2002 season.

There was a patch of an arrow with a feather on the sleeves. It's sewn on by the tackle twill method.

In 2003, the Redskins added the word “REDSKINS” which was embroidered in a bulbous manner using the classic Redskins font. It was applied to the upper chest of all their jerseys.

Also in 2003, the GSS patch was added to all game jerseys intended to be used on game day. It was sewn on the chest over the heart. The Redskins owner added this patch to honor the life of his father, Gerry S. Snyder who had recently passed away. This tag was and is unique to game jerseys, and is unavailable by retail. It was only used in 2003.

The GSS tag is especially unique because it was designed, manufactured, and applied to Redskins jerseys by the team, not Reebok or Ripon Athletic. The patch was sewn to jerseys using a straight stitch. The Redskins, inexperienced and unschooled in patch design and application, made a couple mistakes. The patch tended to become badly frayed and loose after game use and a few washings. The people who work at Ripon have been applying patches to NFL jerseys for decades, and they certainly would have designed a more durable patch, and they would have used a more secure stitch. The patch should have included a bead of embroidery along the outside edge to keep it from fraying. The Redskins, realizing their mistake, repaired badly frayed patches on game worn jerseys with the more appropriate zig-zag stitch. The better stitch helped keep the patch secure, but didn't help much to keep it from fraying.

Because this patch was a team addition and not originally intended, the patch never became available on Authentic jerseys or other retail jerseys.

Renaldo Wynn, weighing in at 291 pounds wore a size 46 jersey. He had it customized so that the bottom was shortened by a few inches. The jock tag was lost with the customization.

Below is a photo of me at 5'10 and 154 lbs. wearing a size 46 game jersey with no customization. I'm a little more than half the size of the 291-pound Renaldo Wynn without pads, and yet I can wear the same size jersey without pads that he wears with pads - due to the magic of spandex. If the jersey was allowed to extend to its full length, it would hang close to my knees. But because of the elasticity of the jersey, I can keep the hem at my waist, and it stays there.

But a size 46 was not tight enough for Mr. Wynn. He had his jersey customized so that a verticle fold was made about a half inch in, and sewn in from the inside along the left and right front near the arms. He had the same customization done in the back. This effectively made the jersey four inches tighter around his upper torso. If you look closely, you can see the folded sewn seam to the right of the GSS patch below.

It's my understanding that players have two jerseys at their disposal on game day - one being a back-up jersey in case the first one gets badly ripped. Many jerseys will become damaged at the shoulder pads and are repaired by the team. If a player has a particularly good game, some players will consider a particular jersey their "lucky jersey" and they'll wear it repeatedly. I saw a Betts jersey last January at the Collector's Sale at the stadium that looked like the shoulders had been beaten with bicycle chains about sixty times. (It was $954, I didn't buy it). Below is a pic of typical team repairs:

Incidentally, Mr. Wynn was a member of this site during the latter part of his Redskins career. His user name was "Renaldo Wynn."

The 70th Anniversary style jersey was used in 2003 as well, but without the 70th Anniversary patch. It was considered the “Alternate” jersey. Below is a Rod Gardner 2003 Alternate game jersey. You can see it's missing the GSS patch, which indicates that, although it was part of the equipment room inventory, it was never actually worn in a game. The team wore this Alternate jersey with the GSS patch in only one game - at home vs. the Saints on Nov. 30, 2003.*

Below is Ethan Albright's 2003 jersey. Note the slight oval roundness along the seam of the netted fabric. The seam moves outward toward the middle of the jersey, then turns inward as it approaches the tail. This is true on the front and back.

Here's Ethan's 2004 burgundy jersey.

Below is a pic of Antonio Pierce, middle linebacker. Note the stretched spandex webbing in the left photo, and the relaxed webbing on the right.

Reebok game jerseys have a white patch sewn onto the fabric at the inside back of the neck which includes a black-stamped two digit number indicating the year, a hyphen, and another two digit number indicating the size.

Game jerseys are manufactured with a jock tag at the bottom of the jersey with a tab that includes the size. The jock tag is sometimes missing or folded under on jerseys that have been shortened or customized for a specific player.

In the photo above, you can see Matt Bowen's 2004 jersey is dramatically shortened. His jock tag is missing, of course. He also had the front collar folded and sewn under, presumably to allow body heat to escape easier. Most of his jerseys' collars aren't customized like this. I emailed him and asked him about this, and he indicated he probably wore the jersey when it was hot and humid indicating this jersey was probably worn in the pre season or early in the regular season. Cornelius Griffin and Chris Samuels have their jerseys customized this way as well. You can see the NFL shield has been removed and reattached lower.

Below is Marcus Washington's 2005 jersey. It exhibits excellent wear all over, especially in the left front shoulder and right back shoulder.

Photo match, Oct 2, 2005 vs Seahawks (Redskins won in OT on a 39 yd Nick Novak field goal):

Closeup of left front shoulder:

Closeup of chest:

Closeup of right back shoulder:

You can see paint colors of bluish-green, purple, and gold. This jersey has literally dozens of team repairs, indicating it was used in a number of games.

Piling between the shoulder blades and a faded swatch tag is another sign of heavy use in multiple games:

Although game jerseys have been made by the same people for decades, when Redskins jerseys change their corporate logo, there is always at least a minor design change. In January of 2006, Reebok was quietly acquired by Adidas - and this may be why we saw some minor design changes in Redskins jerseys.

Starting in 2006, the application of the numbers changed. The burgundy number was placed or perhaps lightly glued onto the jersey first. Then the gold outline was sewn on top along both edges with a double row of gold thread. The jerseys no longer used two-ply numbers. There is also no longer any burgundy thread at the numbers. Burgundy jerseys are similar, but substitute the burgundy numbers for white numbers.

Numbers at chest:

Numbers on the arms have been sewn by both - a double row and a single row of zigzag gold thread, depending on the jersey. Most of the tight sleeve style have numbers that are sewn with two rows of gold zig zag thread.

Jerseys with the longer shoulder and shorter sleeve are worn by many lineman and linebackers. The structure of the shoulders allows more room for the massive shoulder pads that lineman require. Because the sleeves are smaller, they have a slightly smaller number sewn to the sleeve. This smaller number is sewn with a single row of zig zag thread.

Also starting in 2006, the burgundy stripe on the tight sleeves only circled half way around the arm. The gold spandex fabric under the arm is completely different than the gold spandex fabric over top of the arm.

Collector's Note:

Starting in 2006, jerseys are generally no longer worn for multiple games, although there are probably some exceptions - especially among jerseys worn by non-starters. Jerseys were worn by most starting players for one game, and then the jersey was retired, unwashed, and sealed in a poly zip-lock bag to be sold to a company that sells to collectors. A label indicating the specific game and date the jersey was worn is included with the jersey - it's glued on the inside behind where the jock tag should be. This results in jerseys that have less wear, and also results in substantially more jerseys in circulation worn by starting players.

Here's Cornelius Griffin's unwashed jersey, worn at home vs the Cowboys on Nov. 5th, 2006.

The yellowish stain running down between the numbers is probably snot.

This looks like blood - probably from the knuckles of the Cowboys lineman's right hand.

A large ring of sweat from the neck is obvious on the back of the jersey.

Sometimes, jerseys manufactured during a previous year are used. Nick Novak's jersey is one of these. Nick kicked the game winning field goal to beat the Cowboys on Nov. 5, 2006, while wearing a jersey manufactured in 2004.

photo credit: washingtonpost.com

Here's Jon Jansen's unwashed jersey. He wore this at home vs. the Eagles on Dec. 10th, 2006.

In 2007, the Redskins wore a white 75th Anniversary jersey during week 3 at home vs. the Giants. The Redskins lost 24-17, and the jersey was not worn again. This jersey was worn with the bright yellow "R" helmet which made the uniform appear similar to the uniform used in the late 1960s when Vince Lombardi took over as head coach. It was, then and now, eerily similar to the Green Bay Packers' jersey. The construction of this jersey is very similar to the construction of the 70th anniversery jersey. Note the jersey is missing the embroidered "REDSKINS" on the front. There was no burgundy version of this jersey. Below, Clinton Portis is becoming reacquainted with an old friend.

Below is Todd Collins' jersey. Like all the quarterbacks, the sleeves are the loose "skill" style. He had the sleeves customized by adding fabric under the arm to make the sleeve opening bigger and looser:

Collector's Note:

Regarding game jerseys after 2005 being retired unwashed, the lone exception is the 75th anniversary jerseys, which were, in fact, washed. I believe the jerseys were washed because the team anticipated possibly using this style jersey again at some point during 2007, and policy dictates having two (2) jerseys available to each player for any given game, in case one gets badly torn during a game. Since only two jerseys were purchased and sent to the team by Ripon, the team had no choice but to wash these game used jerseys so they'd be ready for game use (this explanation is my own speculation).

It's important for collectors to know there are two 75th anniversary jerseys in existence for each player

- only one of which were actually worn during this game. The ones used in games by starting players include a thermopath applied by the redskins. 75th anni jerseys from starting players which don't include a team thermopatch should be suspect. Below is an example of a team applied thermopatch:

The Redskins wore a 75th Anniversary patch on all their jerseys in 2007. Below is Fred Smoot's jersey. Smoot wore a size 42 and also had the jersey tailored - removing a significant amount of the bottom of the jersey. The result is a jersey that's about the size of a retail youth jersey.

Following the murder of teammate Sean Taylor in November 2007, the Redskins wore a special "21" patch on the right side of their jerseys and a "21" sticker on their helmets for all their remaining games. The Redskins wore only their standard white jerseys for their remaining games, so the "21" patch won't be found on a 75th anniversary jersey or a burgundy jersey. The Redskins won their last four games, and beat the Dallas Cowboys in the last game of the regular season by "21" points in the rain.

In 2008, and new NFL logo was introduced. I was one of the first to see it, as it was displayed at the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio the first weekend of August. The new logo has fewer stars (one for each division), a football which more closely resembles the football on the Vince Lombardi trophy, and a more masculine looking "L". It also has a darker blue, and is slightly thinner.

The 2008 season opened with a new "C" patch on the six team captains' jerseys. The "C" is surrounded in burgundy and framed in gold. There are four stars below the "C." On Campbell's jersey, the left star is gold, the others are white. This indicates this is his first year wearing the captain's patch. The Redskins had six captains in 2008: two on offense (J. Campbell and Samuels), two on defense (Fletcher and Griffin) , and two on special teams (Cartwright and K. Campbell).

Also on opening day, all NFL players wore a black "GU" patch, similar to the "21" patch the Redskins wore the season before. The "GU" patch was in honor of Gene Upshaw, veteran NFL player and longtime Executive Director of the NFL Players Association, who had recently passed away. His jersey number, 63, is also on the patch.

Collector's note:

Although all NFL teams wore this GU patch during Week 1, almost all other teams simply removed the patches and reused the jerseys for Week 2 play. The Redskins, however, retired the Week 1 jerseys for many starting players. This, of course, makes jerseys with the GU patch especially unique and collectible. The Oakland Raiders were one of the few other teams to wear the GU patch all season in honor of their teammate.

photo credit: themurf, ES staff member

photos credit: www.josportsco.com

There was also a change in first initials. Prior to 2008, when there were two players with the same last name, their nameplates would include their first initial.

But because of a recent decision by the NFL owners, a first initial was no longer required in such situations, and use of the first initial became optional. The Redskins opted to drop the initial, so that both Jason Campbell and Khary Campbell have the same nameplate (The NFL's retail division has not adopted this change, as of yet).

photo credit: themurf, ES staff member

On November 30th, the Redskins commemorated the 1 year anniversary of Sean Taylor's death by wearing the "21" patch on their jerseys vs. the Giants at home. They wore their burgundy jerseys, making these the only burgundy jerseys ever worn with the "21" patch. The "21" patch was worn on the left side of the chest, as opposed to the right side as it was worn in 2007.

Practice Jerseys

Practice or training camp jerseys are nylon. The seam across the chest is horizontal. The numbers are screened. There aren't usually numbers on the sleeves and there sometimes aren't names on the back. Sometimes names on the back will be included if the head coach is new. Offensive players wear white jerseys, defensive players wear burgundy.

QBs wear special gold jerseys in training camp.

photo credit: washington post

Authentic Jerseys

Many people believe an Authentic Jersey is the same jersey as worn on the field. This is not true, and as far as I can tell, this has never been true.

Authentic jerseys are meant to very closely mimic the jersey worn on the field. At one time back in the early 90s and earlier, depending on the year and the jersey, some Authentic jerseys were exactly or almost exactly like the jerseys the players wore on the field, and they were made in the USA. Even in 2000, it was possible to purchase a "game-cut" Authentic jersey with the "skill" or loose sleeves, and that jersey very closely resembled a similar game jersey - and it was made in this country in the same shop that game jerseys were made. Today, there are few similarities between so-called Authentic jerseys and game jerseys, and they are made outside the USA exclusively. I believe Reebok oversees or sub-contracts the manufacturing of all retail jerseys. I know of at least three countries where legitimate Reebok Authentics have been or are being made: El Salvador, Korea, and Vietnam. The league's use of the phrase “Authentic jersey” currently refers to any of several styles of a retail jersey with sewn numbers, and no longer has any relationship to the English definition of “authentic.”

Retail Authentic jerseys typically lag behind in design as they attempt to closely mimic game jerseys. This is probably due to confidential proprietary issues with the game jersey manufacturer. Each time a game jersey is redesigned (which happens every several years), the Authentic jerseys released that year don't keep up with the change. It typically takes the NFL's retail division several years to "catch up" to the point where they redesign their own jerseys in an attempt to somewhat match the gamers. These days, they never quite get there, but they do seem to try.

Even in 2008, the retail jersey and game jersey have differences that would be easy fixes, but the retail division does not keep up. Besides the obvious difference in sleeve styles, one example is Jason Campbell's retail jersey nameplate still includes the first initial "J.", whereas the game jerseys do not.

The below photo is of a Mark Brunell "Presentation" game jersey with loose sleeves and screened stripes. Note the many differences between this jersey and the retail loose-sleeve jersey below it, including the position of the front seam. The side seams on the gamer are curved rather than straight as on the retail jersey. The sleeves on the gamer appear to be significantly wider. The screened stripes of the gamer come in to meet the body of the jersey on the gamer, but the stripes on the retail authentic are completely independent of the body. The tagging is different, as well. Not apparent in the photo, the gamer is made of spandex throughout, including the shoulders and mesh. The retail Authentic jersey is made of nylon, with spandex only in the side panels.

Interestingly, when I compare the only loose-sleeve authentic jersey I own to my gamers, the numbers are pretty close in size on the sleeves and the front - but not in the numbers on back. The numbers on the back of the retail authentic are half an inch WIDER than the numbers on my gamers. The letters of the nameplate are wider as well. Yet their height is the same.

Below is an example of an Authentic burgundy jersey with the tight sleeves from an NFLshop mailing. Strangely, there is no white version of this jersey. If you compare this photo with the ones of the gamers above, you can see the jersey is different - especially in the design and construction of the sleeves. The words in this 2007 ad "Same exact jersey the players wear" is complete nonsense. I hope it's an honest mistake. This ad has run for the past two years and I bet it'll run this year too.

Back in late 2004 when I was young, naive, and new at this hobby, I "chatted" online with nflshop and asked them about the discrepency between authentic jerseys and game jerseys. I was not trying to stir up trouble. I honestly didn't understand what was going on. I assured the nflshop rep I was prepared to spend hundreds of dollars at nfl.com for an authentic jersey, but if I did that, I wanted a true authentic jersey like in the game photos, not whatever kind of jersey was pictured and listed as an authentic jersey as shown on the nfl.com website. I was genuinely puzzled. He seemed puzzled too because he insisted the jerseys sold at nflshop.com were the same as the jerseys on the field - until I actually had him check some urls showing the difference. After a long hold, he finally said he'd refer me to somebody else in management about this, and the management guy would email me. The next day when I finally got into emails with the management guy, he wrote me one sentence: "All we have available is what we have listed on the website." Period. What kind of explanation is that? It seemed unreal to me that I couldn't buy a true authentic jersey at nfl.com, especially after seeing their TV ads with the guy popping out of the equipment bag and all that. So when I responded to his email, I asked him, why does nfl.com sell "authentic" jerseys that are not actually authentic? He answered me in another email "Because that's what Reebok sends us." Six words. End of email. I couldn't get him to expound or explain -- and it was clear he just wanted me to go away and stop bugging him. I finally gave up, and realized if I wanted a real jersey, I'd have to find one from a source other than nfl.com (I recall all these fine details because I had documented all this in a text file at the time - I thought it was interesting).

Four years later, not much has changed.

What the retail division has never been able to get right is the sleeves. The elastic style sleeve with the colored stripes incorporated within the elastic cuff has been worn by players since 1988. This tight or cuffed sleeve has been completely ignored by the NFL's retail division - at least in regards to Redskins jerseys. It's only been the past few years that they've offered jerseys with snug sleeves to the public. But still, those jersey sleeves don't even begin to come close to what is worn on the field. 2008 marks twenty years since this sleeve was first introduced, and yet, there is still no offering of it in retail.

Why is that?

We can only guess. It may be the sleeve style is more expensive to manufacture, and the league or Adidas/Reebok is not willing to take on the additional cost. Or there may be confidential proprietary issues regarding sleeve design with the game jersey manufacturer. If anybody has any other theories, I'd love to hear from you.

Reebok Authentic Jerseys

There are so many styles and variations of Official Authentic NFL Reebok Redskins jerseys, it's extremely difficult to get a handle on them all. Add to that the counterfeits - also claiming to be Official Authentic NFL Reebok Redskins jerseys, and you have a seemingly infinite number of styles and variations of jerseys. What follows is my attempt identify the characteristics of legitimate Redskins retail Authentic jerseys and also to identify and categorize the various styles.

The Reebok logo is embroidered, but does not have a background like on the gamers. The numbers on Authentics are the same height as gamers, but the numbers on back are slightly wider than on game jerseys. The letters on the name plate are also slightly wider than on game jerseys, although they are the exact same height. The numbers on the sleeves are different than on gamers - the gamer numbers on sleeves are sort of mashed from top to bottom, the authentics are not. The letters of the word "Redskins" which is embroidered on the chest, are slightly larger both in height and width than on gamers. Those letters are the same font and have the same bulbous look, but are embroidered slightly differently.

The NFL's retail division is constantly redesigning their "Authentic" retail jersey to more closely resemble a game jersey. Every few years, there is a change which brings about a new style of Authentic jersey - and the newest retail jersey design comes closer and closer to resembling a game jersey - at least to the casual eye. However, as they release new jersey designs, they also keep manufacturing the old designs. This creates an array of different styles of Redskins jerseys, all claiming to be "Authentic."

There are currently at least five styles of Reebok retail authentic Redskins jersey:

1) The loose sleeve or "skill-cut" style. This style has screened stripes around the sleeves, although the stripes are slightly narrower than on game jerseys. It has a horizontal seam across the chest. The jersey is nylon, with no spandex, except in the side panels, which has spandex of both horizontal and verticle thread. The jersey has an "ultra-bright" shine to it, which Reebok gamers don't have. This jersey is available in white or burgundy and they are/were made in Korea. Although this jersey seems to closely copy the old Adidas jerseys, they are still being sold today with Reebok logos.

2) The 70th anniversary style or alternate style. This obviously is designed to mimic the 70th anniversary/alternate game jerseys, but the sleeves are not correct. The retail division was at a disadvantage since 2002 was the first year of that style of jersey. As a result, the sleeves on the retail jerseys don't come close to those on the game jerseys. The collar in front is not correct either since it has that weird flap slightly covering the NFL shield. The jersey is spandex. A 2002 should have the 70th anniversary patch, the 2003 should not.

3) The tight sleeve style. This jersey appeared several years after the loose sleeved jersey and is meant to be an improvement over that style, as it more closely resembles a game jersey. I believe the first year this jersey appeared was 2006. This has a cuff around the sleeve, but is not anything like the snug sleeve of a game jersey. The stripes are screened. The slanted seam in the upper chest does closely mimic the seam on a game jersey. It is a spandex jersey. Oddly, it's only available in burgundy. I believe this jersey is basically the same as the 70th anniversary jersey with different striping. It is possible that the digital photo below is incorrect in that the jersey you receive will have the odd flap partly covering the NFL shield as in the anniversary jersey above.

Here's the nfl.com digital image without the flap:

4) The 75th anniversary style. This obviously is designed to mimic the 75th anniversary game jerseys and it comes close, but the sleeves are still not correct. The jersey is spandex.

info credit: wpns3/5, ES member

There were and are also the normal burgundy and white jerseys sold with the 75th anni patch. Oddly, the type of patch varies on both colors of retail jerseys. In other words, the patch shown on the burgundy game jersey which has a mostly white ring around it is not necessarily the patch that will be on the burgundy retail jersey. Either type of the two patches could be found on either color of retail jersey. I believe this is an oversight by the retail jersey division.

Below is an example - the jersey on top is a game jersey. The jersey below and on top is a replica jersey. The replica jersey has an incorrect patch.

info credit: wpns3/5, ES member

Below is the patch with the white ring as it looks on a game jersey.

5) The white screened snug-sleeve style. This style is brand new for 2008, but appears to be the same general jersey as the 75th anniversary jersey with different graphics. The stripes are screened but it includes the slanted seam in front just like the gamers, and it's available in white or burgundy. It also has the new updated nfl logo within its shield and on the jock tag. Note there is no weird flap partly covering the NFL shield. Also, the sleeves are not scrunched at the cuff like in #3 above. This jersey is made of spandex. It is made in Vietnam.

Below is a jock tag from an authentic jersey prior to 2008:

Here's the new jock tag for retail authentic jerseys for 2008:

Below is stitching detail of a 2008 authentic jersey. Note how the numbers are stitched as they were in 2005. The retail athentic jerseys still have not adopted the change that gamers made starting in 2006.

Note how the light reflects off the "REDSKINS" bulbous font. Also note how the "N" is contructed. There is a sort of seam that runs from corner to corner. Gamers have this same font, but the contruction, especially the seams on the "N", is slightly different. The "N" of a counterfeit jersey will almost certainly be constructed differently.

Here's the new jersey shield for 2008:

Pro Bowl Authentic Jerseys

I don't believe the NFL's retail division has ever made a Redskins Authentic Pro Bowl Jersey. I believe every Pro Bowl jersey found with stitched numbers is counterfeit.

Below is the jersey Chris Cooley wore in February 2008. These jerseys change slightly year to year. All pro bowl jerseys are made by Ripon Athletic and they include the interior along the inseam that says "Made in Berlin, WI USA". However, they don't have the tag at the back of the neck or the jock tag that's common on other jerseys made by Ripon.

Premier (EQT) Jerseys

EQT apparently stands for "equipment." I don’t own one of these. These were designed to bridge the gap between the expensive Authentic jerseys and the cheaper Replica jerseys. The jersey's fabric is slightly heavier than that of the replica jersey. The numbers are made of non-mesh fabric which has been screened, cut to form, and then sewn onto the jersey. The numbers are 1-ply. Letters of the names are the same and are applied the same way. The nameplate is sewn. The word "REDSKINS" on the chest is screened. The Reebok logos on the sleeves are screened. The sizes are indicated on the jock tag as M, L, XL, etc. In my opinion, this is a very attractive jersey and is a great value for just a few dollars more than the replica jersey.

Here's stitching detail on a Premier jersey:

Replithentic Jerseys

I believe the Replithentic jersey is a synonym for a Premier Jersey, and I believe the word "replithentic" no longer applies to current jerseys.

Replica Jerseys

These are a cheap version of the Authentic version above and all the graphics are dumbed down in size. The numbers are screened. The numbers are smaller than the numbers on Authentic jerseys. The logo is screened and is smaller. The word “REDSKINS” on the upper chest is screened and is smaller. The player’s name is screened onto a nylon nameplate. The letters of the player’s name are smaller than the letters of the player’s name on Authentic jerseys. The nameplate is sewn onto the back of the jersey using a straight stitch. The area that runs along the straight stitch is made to appear like a tackle-twill stitch, but is artificial. The fabric of the shoulders of the jersey is 1-ply. The jersey is nylon. There is horizontal spandex thread in the sidepanels only. There is no vertical spandex thread in the side panels or anywhere else on the jersey. The stripes are the same width as found on an authentic jersey, but the colors are less bright. The jersey is manufactured overseas. The sizes are indicated on the jock tag as M, L, XL, etc.

Team Apparel (Dept. store) Jerseys

These are jerseys you will find in JC Penny's and other department stores. The retailer must have some sort of special agreement with the NFL/Reebok, because these jerseys are significantly different than any of the above jerseys, and I've never seen them anywhere else. These are a step down from the replica jerseys mentioned above. Like the replica jerseys, everything is screened. However, these are missing the NFL Equipment shield under the chin. Also, the names on back are not on a nameplate, they're applied directly onto the jersey itself. The words "Team Apparel" are on the loop tag. They are only available in burgundy. They retail at $55, which is $20 cheaper than a typical Replica jersey, but they're apparently not fooling many people since the racks were full of them three days before Christmas.

Mitchell & Ness Jerseys

Mitchell & Ness makes limited edition jerseys of players of days gone by, and they do it with permission of the league. They choose a particular star player, and choose a particular year, then they manufacture a limited number of jerseys to look exactly like the game jersey that the player wore during that year. The advantage they have is, jerseys didn't have logos 20 years ago, so there are no trademark issues. I don't own one of these, but as far as I can tell, Mitchell & Ness does a very good job. Below is their 1969 Huff jersey. The missing name on back, the sewn numbers, and the large 50th Anniversary NFL shield on the left shoulder are correct for the period. If you're shopping for such a jersey, beware of counterfeit Mitchell & Ness jerseys. (If a photo below doesn't display, right-click on it, and choose "Show picture" from the pop up menu)

NFL Throwback Jerseys

These are licensed NFL jerseys meant to mimic players' jerseys of the past. The below photo is an example, currently available at nflshop.com. I appreciate that they try to make the jersey appear like the one used back in the day - as they substitute the current NFL shield with the one used before. The problem is, Dexter Manley left the Redskins in 1989, and the league did not apply the NFL shield to jerseys until 1991, so the shield is incorrect. Another problem is, in this example of an nflshop throwback, the Reebok logo is incorrect for the period since Reebok logos didn't appear on jerseys until 2002. In fact, Manley never work a logo of any kind since the first logo didn't appear on a jersey sleeve until 1990. Yet, another problem is - the font of the name on back is a straight font, which is, again, incorrect for the period. Manley never wore a straight font since the straight font wasn't worn by the Redskins for the first time until 1993. Manley wore what is called a varsity font, as did all the players during the Gibbs I era. In my opinion, if the league is going to sell a product called throwback jerseys, they need to do better research and pay significantly more attention to detail.

Counterfeit Game Jerseys

I started another independent thread on this:

http://extremeskins.com/showthread.php?t=287769

Fake, counterfeit, or knock-off retail authentic jerseys

There are many jerseys on the after-market which are sold as Authentic jerseys which are not. For example, generally 90% of the so-called Authentic jerseys found on eBay are counterfeit, even as sellers with excellent feedback insist they are real. It is possible to find an illegitimate Redskins jersey that looks good and that you’d be proud to wear, and if you can find one and the price is right, it’s a worthwhile purchase. But it is extremely rare and difficult to find one without having at least one obvious, glaring flaw. Ironically, the NFL is partly to blame for the large number of fake authentic jerseys these days because of their decision to allow the manufacturing of Authentic jerseys overseas. What adds to the problem is, the countries they are made in tends to change year-to-year, and this causes slight variances in detail in authentic jerseys year-to-year. There doesn't seem to be a precise blueprint for authentic jerseys, which makes spotting fake authentics very difficult.

Below is an example of one of the rare jerseys which, although it's counterfeit, it looks great! I bought a Riggins just like this for $70 on eBay a few years ago but sold it after one season because, at size 52, it was too big. The bidding went to $90. Its beauty is in its simplicity. The mesh all around without spandex is accurate for the 1980's. The stripes are perfect. The name on the back was in the correct Varsity font. The numbers should be screened, but it looks so good sewn, I preferred it that way. The jersey has no jock tag. There is no logo. I don't know who makes them, but these jerseys can be found in some signature houses. They're usually signed, but I'd prefer them unsigned. I'd be proud to own and wear this counterfeit jersey of a SB XVII era Redskins player. If anybody knows where I can get a hold of one of these, let me know!

Below is a pic of a counterfeit Reebok Authentic jersey. At first glance, it appears to be a very nice jersey. It has retail tags attached to it, indicating it to be a licensed, authentic NFL jersey from Reebok. This is also indicated in the loop tag at the back of the neck. There is a narrow silver strip sewn into the back of the neck that says "NFL Equipment" with a tiny NFL shield which is typical of licensed NFL retail jerseys. The sleeves are screened correctly, and the letters of the name are sewn. The nameplate is sewn. The numbers are two layers - burgundy on top of gold, and both burgundy and gold numbers are sewn. The Reebok logo is machine-embroidered onto the sleeves. The NFL shield is sewn to the front collar. The name "REDSKINS" on the chest is embroidered. The jock tag is properly placed.

But note the size tag which is incorrect (should be numbers, not letters), and the small weak pathetic font showing "Redskins" on the front. That's a dead giveaway. Looking closer, note the stitching below. The stitches are very close together and almost perpendicular to the edge of the letters. This is typical of Korean-made fake jerseys. Korea is known world-wide for their expertise in tailoring, so Korea would be a natural source of counterfeiting. Unfortunately, Korea also makes legitimate Authentics, which doesn't help us to identify counterfeits. The stitching is actually very attractive and high in quality, but it's not tackle-twill. Also, you can see the letter cut-outs do not look machined and are not precise. Although they look nice at first glance, if you look closely, the letters appear to have been cut manually by somebody with a pair of scissors or some other sharp tool.

Same problem with the numbers. Nice attractive stitch, but it's not correct.

What is happening here is U.S. citizens are purchasing jerseys from overseas in large lots, then reselling them on eBay and other sites. They know they are selling counterfeits, and they are out-right lying in their eBay listings. Their hope is to fool you into thinking you are buying a legitimate Reebok retail authentic jersey. Although these sellers are committing trademark violations and are vulnerable to large fines and fairly major legal problems, my main issue with these sellers is not so much that they're selling fake jerseys, but that they're lying about it in the hopes of scamming your money for their personal profit. I hope the list of eBay images below will help you spot these criminal sellers.

Here's some more:

Yellow around letters. Fake.

More:

White collar. Fake.

Two more:

White collar on one, yellow around letters on the other. Fake. Fake.

Another:

Letters on shoulders. Fake.

Another:

Stitching is too close together. Also stitching should be rounded in the corners. Fake.

More:

Wrong number font. Fake.

Another:

Silky sewn stripes. Fake.

Another:

Weak, pathetic "REDSKINS" font. Fake.

More:

The NFL's retail division does not sell jerseys with sleeves like that. Fake.

Another:

"6" on sleeve is obviously the wrong font.

Another:

Mesh goes up over top of shoulder. Fake.

Here's a jersey advertised on nflshop.com. They even have it displayed as a general advertisement of the shop itself:

No legitimate Redskins jersey, gamer or retail, has ever been made with screened sleeves and numbers on the shoulders. And yet, nfl.com uses an image of this jersey in a general nfl.com ad. But the reality is, that jersey is a digital hallucination. It does not exist. If you order it, you'll receive something different.

Another:

The above is a good example of how the Chinese monitor NFL.com and try to copy jerseys. The jersey on the left is an nflshop.com digital image. The jersey on the right is an eBay "authentic jersey" photo. Although this jersey does exist on nflshop.com, it only exists digitally, because nflshop.com screwed up when they assembled the graphics onto the image. In real life, this jersey does not exist on the field or in retail, and if you order this jersey from nflshop.com, the jersey you receive will not look like the jersey in the nflshop.com image. But the Chinese copied the jersey anyway and are selling it. Besides numbers on the shoulders, the number font is wrong and the "8" is upside down. Fake.

Another:

Number font is wrong, "4" is too wide. Fake.

Another:

Weird flap sewn at bottom of V-neck. I believe this is fake.

Another:

Number font is wrong, bottom part of "4" is too big. Fake.

Another:

No size on the jock tag. Fake.

Another:

Too many things wrong here to list. Fake.

Another:

What in the world is this thing? I don't know, but I don't want any part of it. Fake.

Another:

The word "Authentic" is on the loop tag. Fake.

Another:

The word "REDSKINS" shouldn't be on the chest of a 75th Anniversary Jersey. Fake.

Another:

Lettering is bold-faced. Fake.

Another:

Retail jerseys don't include a captain's patch, and if they did, they'd be on the correct side of the chest. Fake.

Another:

Low quality, blurred, sloppy NFL Equipment shield. Fake.

If you're not sure about a particular jersey or listing, instead of focusing on the jersey, take a close look at the seller. A seller who is selling counterfeits will oftentimes throw several dozen Reebok products on eBay within the same hour for a short amount of time - say, three days. His goal is to get in and out as quickly as possible to limit his exposure and avoid being harassed by Reebok's attorneys. You could also ask the seller: "Are you a licensed seller of Reebok products?", and proceed depending on his answer. Fraudulent sellers know they are committing trademark violations and are vulnerable to huge fines, so they are not happy to see such questions.

In addition, there's the hologram. Unfortunately, you're probably not going to be able to take a good look at the hologram on eBay. But once you get the jersey, you can examine the hologram. The NFL holograms tend to change year to year. The photo below shows an example of an old style of hologram. The hologram on the left is counterfeit. You can see the colors are bland and don't vary. The hologram on the right is genuine. The helmets are multi-colored.

Whatever the style of hologram, look for multi-colored objects within the hologram. If the objects are one color, the hologram is counterfeit, and so is the jersey. If the hologram is multi-colored, know it STILL may be counterfeit since criminals are getting better at reproducing them.

If your jersey is a fake and you feel you've been taken advantage of, try to return the jersey and expect a full refund, including shipping. A wise seller of counterfeit merchandise will quietly accept your return. Otherwise, you can file a claim with eBay / paypal and, if you are feeling vengeful, you can consider contacting Adidas, the parent company of Reebok.

Here are a few tips which may help you spot a fake retail authentic jersey:

-Stitching at numbers is not tackle twill.

-Alphabetic sizing (e.g. XL)

-Sewn or woven stripes around loose sleeves when they should be screened

-stripe colors on sleeves are reversed

-White collar

-yellow outline around name letters

-wrong font: shape(s) formed inside the 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, and/or 9 on chest, back, or sleeves is not or would not be a perfect square

-single ply fabric at the shoulders

-incorrect jock tag

-use of nfl.com photographs in non-nfl.com sites or eBay listings

-blurred photographs in eBay listings or sites (used to hide imperfections)

-NFL shield logo or REDSKINS name embroidered on chest looks blurred, small, thin, weak, flat, or sloppy

-jersey that claims to be "NFLPA" licensed

-ad includes misspelled words and/or bad grammar

-the price is low and appears to be a great deal

-any pro bowl jersey

-jersey is made in China

-counterfeit hologram

-jersey that claims it's not a cheap chinese fake (because it's a cheap Korean fake)

-listings that claim "This is what the Actual Player wears on game day" or words to that effect.

If anybody has any good, rare, accurate info or detail about any Redskins jersey, please post it, and I'll add it to this first post. And if anybody sees any info above that they think is incorrect, let me know. Thanks!

Much, much more to come...

[NewCliche21]

Damn, man. Nice research!

[CRobi21]

I've got 10 jerseys, and they all fall under the fake category! ****! Thanks for waiting 2 years to make the thread, Mark!

[Rdskn4Lyf21]

Thanks as always for the info Mark!

I do love my fake ass jerseys

[21LightsOut21]

I love all my jerseys and I bought all of mine from ebay. Only 1 is fake all the rest are tackle twill and have sewn on everything. My sizes on my tags say (50) not L,XL,XXL, etc.. On the arms of my jerseys the sleeves are cuffed, like the real jerseys are supposed to be. It's not the jersey fabric sewn to make a sleeve. I'll take pictures of peple want me to

[NewCliche21]

I love all my jerseys and I bought all of mine from ebay. Only 1 is fake all the rest are tackle twill and have sewn on everything. My sizes on my tags say (50) not L,XL,XXL, etc.. On the arms of my jerseys the sleeves are cuffed, like the real jerseys are supposed to be. It's not the jersey fabric sewn to make a sleeve. I'll take pictures of peple want me to

eBay's a pretty sweet deal if you know what to look for. My friend only gets his jerseys from eBay. I have a couple of Taylors, a Moss, and a Landry, so I don't think that I'll be getting one for a while (You can only wear one at a time, and they're mainly for game days), but yeah, rock that eBay stuff.

Maybe you could provide some sellers that you got it from so people know who won't rip them off?

[21LightsOut21]

eBay's a pretty sweet deal if you know what to look for. My friend only gets his jerseys from eBay. I have a couple of Taylors, a Moss, and a Landry, so I don't think that I'll be getting one for a while (You can only wear one at a time, and they're mainly for game days), but yeah, rock that eBay stuff.

Maybe you could provide some sellers that you got it from so people know who won't rip them off?

If anyone wants the sellers, just let me know. PM me and i'll be more than happy to give you the info. I have an AWESOME D.Green 28 jersey, 2-ST 21 jerseys,1 clinton portis, and 1 Cooley. My Cooley is the replithentic or whatever its called. My next one is Landry of course

[Yeen80]

Wow. Nice work Mark. All those years spent down in the labratory known as your basement have really paid off:D

You've certainly put the stamp on youre title as the "Resident Jersey Expert" on ES.

Nice work.

[SkinsJackpot]

Great information! I will look out for the fake ones but most likely buy one.

[Yeen80]

It might be a good idea to have this thread stickied and put in its proper place for easy reference.

After a while, it might disappear into the archives and will be required to "bump" to get it back into view.

[TheSeanTaylorExperience]

Great post Mark! I love my game used jerseys!!

[Manny555]

Where do you guys get ur authentics for good prices? Also, can you get jerseys with the elastic arms anywhere online (authentic ones)?

[SkipJackSkin]

Niceeee research man! I thought the info was never gonna end !

Ahhhh the joy that comes with having fake jerseys.

[Tat2dluvchylde]

My fake 75th DG and CC rock!!!!!

[Gracelander]

I've got 2 fake's (one walmart D. Green & an internet S. Taylor)

12 replica's

1 Authentic

Gotta get more..

:point2sky

[SonnyandSam]

As usual...another excellent job by MTH. :notworthy

Now if only you could lend your expertise to Danny and Vinnie on selecting game ready, authentic (not game worn or fake) free agents and draft picks..... :laugh:

[21LightsOut21]

Where do you guys get ur authentics for good prices? Also, can you get jerseys with the elastic arms anywhere online (authentic ones)?

that's what ALLL mine have..(besides one) they all have the elastic arm band sewn on to the sleeve. Everything is sewn on "tackle-twill" and nothing is screen-printed.

[21LightsOut21]

My fake 75th DG and CC rock!!!!!

I have that same fake Darrrell Green jersey. To be honest with you.. It's better quality than my actual Authentic jerseys.. It's the pride of my collection (for personal reasons) I got the ST 75th ann. jersey and it's the real deal, but my fake DG 75th is actually better. I dont understand??!! lol

I dont really care either. A jersey that is the same quality, or better is not a fake.

If a pair of jordans made in china or japan are made of the SAME exact quality materials the real jordans were made out of , id rock fake jordans. BUt their not. The fake/counterfeit Jordans they made are HIDEOUS and are made of cheap material and you can spot from a mile away. I am a little on the fence about naming a jersey "fake".

[21LightsOut21]

and actually, my 75th Ann. Darrell Green came with a reebok [price tag on it that said $399.99.. Som its hard to get past the quality of this jersey and the price tag and all the holograms

[BillyKilmer]

I have a ex girlfriend with a pair of fakes. When we broke-up they were game worn.

[skinsince72]

Thanks MTH! I have to check out my jerseys to see what I have. I landed a Moss jersey at Draft Day for $24.

[Jofizz]

Great Job, Mark.

I own an Authentic Portis, Premier Cooley, and an Ebay Randle El. (Among other replicas).

The Authentic jerseys are very well made and the Burgundy's have the nice cuffed sleeves. Well worth it.

[TK]

I have a ex girlfriend with a pair of fakes. When we broke-up they were game worn.

If you bought them, did you get them back? :laugh:

[isle-hawg]

Mark, as usual great info from you my friend!!!

I thought the NFL outsources all their Jersey's to Korea or elsewhere until now.

Anybody know how to get a Game ready Jeresy made in the good old USA?

[9_to_42_td]

Mark, where do Mitchell and Ness Jerseys come into play? I have a white Riggins Mitchell and Ness which is very nicely made. What category would this jersey fit into?