The Giants aren’t seeing red or feeling blue about their one-time uniform.
Is there a color that depicts a lukewarm reaction?
That might be best to describe the locker-room feedback on the “Century Red” throwback uniform the Giants will debut Sunday against the Vikings to celebrate the start of their 100th season.
“It definitely looks different,” left tackle Andrew Thomas said. “But if you go back and look at the older pictures, that’s what the uniforms used to look like. Obviously football has come a long way, but we still appreciate the past because without them, we wouldn’t be here.”
Thomas struck two popular notes: “Different” was a choice word to describe the look, and the nod to history is resonating.
“I think it’s awesome we get to pay homage to people that really started the NFL,” fifth-year linebacker Carter Coughlin said. “Since I was a rookie, I learned about the rich history of the New York Giants, and so in a sense, it doesn’t really matter what the jerseys look like.
“It’s cool to be able to represent that.”
The biggest concern seems to be how to make tan pants and a red jersey with a thick blue stripe across the middle and white numbers (circa 1933) look fashionable in 2024.
Receiver Wan’Dale Robinson customized a special pair of game cleats to go with the new look.
“It’s going to be hard to drip out,” rookie receiver Malik Nabers said. “But I’ve got a plan to see what I’m going to do with the drip.”
Running back Devin Singletary is still devising his plan.
“Let’s see how I can swag it out,” he said. “I have to see what cleats and gloves I can go with. That’s really the biggest thing.”
There is one element that seems to be unanimously well-received.
“I love the helmet,” Nabers said. “The helmet is fire.”
The red-and-blue winged helmet is a modernized version of what was worn from 1937-47.
It has a University of Michigan feel that resonated with more than just Wolverines alum Jon Runyan Jr., who admits to being a “little biased.”
“The helmets look very retro-ish,” cornerback Adoree’ Jackson said. “Everything is better in person, I should say. Seeing it on a picture, I don’t know. It’s like a lot of things. You look at a house on Zillow and it looks like this. Then you go to the house in person: ‘Damn, it don’t look like what I thought it was going to look like,’ or ‘Man, this looks better.’ In this case, the jerseys look better.”
There is a concern among offensive linemen that their 300-pound bodies might leave sweat stains on the tan pants.
“I’m interested to see what that’s going to look like on an offensive lineman in the second quarter,” Thomas said.
Pairing the pants with blue-striped red socks is straight out of the inaugural 1925 season. All Giants uniforms this season will include a commemorative “100 Seasons” patch.
“The idea behind it, bringing the different decades, creating this mixed match of a uniform,” Runyan said, “I think it looks cool.”
The Giants will wear their Legacy uniform — from the 1980s — on Nov. 3 against the Commanders.
“The history of it is the best part,” tight end Daniel Bellinger said. “We have another throwback, but this is really a throwback.”
— Post staff writers Paul Schwartz and Steve Serby contributed to this report
