The History of Kelly Green and the Eagles

Have you ever wondered when the Eagles wear Kelly Green? Here's a guide to a history of the popular shade and the Eagles. 

First off, where did the name "Kelly Green" even come from? As someone who has that last name, even I wasn't sure exactly. Here's the definition that Canva gives of the color: 

"Named after the common Irish family name, Kelly, it is reminiscent of the lush green Irish landscape. It is also commonly associated with the colors of St. Patrick’s Day."

As for the Eagles, various different shades of what's been dubbed Kelly Green have been used for most of the franchise's history. 

Beginning in 1935, the Eagles started to move away from the blue and yellow colors of the Frankford Yellow Jackets, and introduced their first green look, as you can see on this picture that comes courtesy of Gridiron Uniform Database: 

The Eagles abandoned blue and yellow altogether in 1937. Again, various different shades of green have been dubbed Kelly Green, and renderings don't always do justice to what they looked like in real life. But take our word for it, the 1960 NFL Champion Eagles wore Kelly Green. Here's a picture of Chuck Bednarik during a celebration of the 1960 team — more on that in a minute — wearing what amounts to a modern version of the 1960 uniforms: 

It can be debated as to whether the darker shade of green that the Eagles used from 1985-1995 — seen on the white road jerseys Randall Cunningham is wearing in this picture from the 1990 season — really fits the definition of Kelly Green. It was treated that way, though: 

From 1935-1995, Kelly Green was a fixture for the Eagles. But under new owner Jeffrey Lurie, the Eagles refreshed their look in 1996, abandoning Kelly Green for what was dubbed "Midnight Green." The Eagles have done quite a bit of winning in Midnight Green, taking home three NFC titles and their first Super Bowl victory: 

But while Midnight Green is generally seen as a pretty good look, it's never reached the same levels of popularity as Kelly Green. Calls for the Eagles to return to Kelly Green on a full-time basis have never ceased. 

A whole new generation was introduced — while many other were reintroduced — to Kelly Green in Week 1 of the 2010 season. The Eagles wore Kelly Green throwbacks to honor the 1960 NFL Champion Eagles, and it became a particularly memorable game because even though the Eagles lost to the Green Back Packers, Michael Vick reasserted himself as a superstar: 

That would be the final time the Eagles would wear Kelly Green for more than a decade.

In 2013 — as the NFL became more sensitive to head injuries — the league instituted the controversial one-helmet rule. This meant that players had to wear the same helmet for all games and practices. 

Because of this, the Eagles couldn't really wear Kelly Green. Or they could have worn Kelly Green jerseys, but would have had to do so with their Midnight Green helmets, which would have looked ridiculous. 

However, the rule was lifted prior to the 2022 season. That didn't end up being in time for the Eagles to have Kelly Green helmets and uniforms ready for the 2023 season, particularly as the world continued to deal with supply-chain issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kelly Green returned as an alternate in 2023 for two games. 

The Eagles wore it first for a 31-17 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 7 on Sunday Night Football: 

Kelly Green was worn again for an instant-classic 37-34 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in Week 12: 

Between the bird logo on the sleeve and the silver pants, the throwbacks that the Eagles wear now most closely resemble the 1985-1995 uniforms. Although silver pants were worn by the Eagles as far back as 1974. 

One difference between the current throwbacks and what was worn from 1985-1995 is the color appears to be a bit lighter on the current ones and more Kelly Green. The 1985-1995 versions bordered on being more of a Forest Green: 

In any event, the current Eagles Kelly Green throwbacks have been a massive success. The Eagles will wear them in Week 17 against the Dallas Cowboys, marking the second time in the 2024 season. They are 3-0 in the Kelly Green throwbacks since bringing them back in 2023, with the latest win coming in the Saquon Barkley reverse hurdle game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. 

Because the Eagles can make money off of both Midnight Green and Kelly Green under the current arrangement, it seems unlikely they would ever go back to Kelly Green on a full-time basis. But Kelly Green is a major part of Eagles history, and it's great to have it back in some capacity.