CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Browns' current uniform design isn't going anywhere -- at least not for another two years -- but the team will manage to make a brief departure from its not-so-popular look in 2018.
For the first time since they were created in 2016, the Browns will wear their Nike 'Color Rush' uniforms in the upcoming season. The team's art director, Mark Podolak, confirmed the news to WKYC, stating that the Browns will wear the alternate threads on multiple occasions in 2018.
While it remains unclear which games the Browns will don the uniforms, it's probably a safe bet they'll be worn for the team's Thursday night game against the New York Jets on Sept. 20. In the past two seasons, teams playing in the nationally televised Thursday night games have often worn their own 'Color Rush,' uniforms, which are intended to "draw inspiration from both current and historic uniform schemes — celebrating the hallmarks of each club’s distinctive identity," according to Nike.
But with the Browns' only Thursday night game in the past two seasons having come on the road, they have yet to don their all-brown getup, which features a more traditional numbers and stripes scheme than their current full-time uniforms. Earlier this year, the NFL relaxed its policy on teams wearing alternate uniforms, which will allow the Browns to wear their 'Color Rush' jerseys up to three times in 2018.
The Browns 'Color Rush' unis have largely been met with critical acclaim from fans, unlike the team's current standard uniform, which it has said it has already looked into redesigning before the 2020 season.
“I definitely think there will be some changes for that," Browns owner Dee Haslam told ESPN Cleveland's Tony Grossi of the team wearing its 'Color Rush' uniforms. "We didn’t get that opportunity last year."