he Pittsburgh Steelers uniforms haven’t changed much during the Super Bowl era. But the team has sometimes featured unique and colorful “throwback” uniforms.
Steelers president Art Rooney teased new throwbacks while speaking to Steelers.com’s Missi Matthews on Wednesday. Rooney also revealed when during the 2025 NFL season the team will wear the new alternate uniforms.
“We are going to have a new throwback uniform this year, and with a new helmet to go with it,” said Rooney. “We’re planning to wear our new throwbacks for the Packers game on Sunday night, Oct. 26.
“It’ll be fun to wear our throwbacks against one of the older franchises in the league – that just seems to be appropriate.”
Rooney also confirmed the Steelers will have a color rush uniform for another game in 2025.
“We’ll be doing our color rush uniforms late in the year. I think we’re going to do it for the Monday night game on Dec. 15 against the Miami Dolphins,” said Rooney.
Steelers to Wear ‘New Throwback’ Uniforms
The term “new throwback” sounds like an oxymoron. But with Rooney’s announcement, the Steelers made clear they will wear a different former jersey and pants combination.
According to The Gridiron Uniform Database, the Steelers only had their primary home and away uniforms from 1995-2006. In 2007, the Steelers introduced an alternate uniform that featured a gold helmet. It was the first time the team wore a gold helmet during the Super Bowl era.
That alternate uniform also included gold numbers and letters along with gold stripes on the sleeves and white pants.
The Steelers occasionally wore those uniforms from 2007-11. By 2013, the team wouldn’t have been able to continue wearing that alternate uniform because the league introduced a rule that disallowed teams from wearing two different helmets. The NFL adopted the rule for player safety.
From 2012-16, the Steelers featured a throwback uniform with black and yellow stripes to honor the 1934 team. The retro look was often called the “bumblebee jerseys.”
Some NFL pundits have ranked the uniforms among the worst alternates in league history.
During 2016, the Steelers wore all-black uniforms as part of the NFL Color Rush program. They wore the uniform for a Christmas Day home game versus the Baltimore Ravens.
Art Rooney II Announces Steelers Uniform Changes for 2025
The Steelers won’t be altering their classic regular uniforms. But Rooney indicated they will have different alternative uniforms in 2025.
After Rooney’s interview with Matthews, Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora began speculating what the “new throwbacks” for Pittsburgh could look like.
“Rooney said ‘new’ but I want them to bring back the 1933 jersey they wore in 1994,” tweeted Kozora.
“(Yes they’re hideous and yes, I love them.)”
Rooney said "new" but I want them to bring back the 1933 jerseys they wore in 1994.
(Yes they're hideous and yes, I love them). https://t.co/jVsX0mWs7z pic.twitter.com/KkMRx1cc59
— Alex Kozora (@Alex_Kozora) May 15, 2025
The Steelers Depot X (formerly Twitter) account argued for a uniform the team donned in the late 1960s.
“Hoping for the Batman jersey this season versus the Packers,” the X account wrote.
In 2021, the NFL approved bringing back alternate helmets beginning in 2022. That has enabled teams to reuse helmets that were popular several decades ago.
Based on what Rooney said, the Steelers appear ready to take advantage of the new rules with either another gold helmet or something else.
Whatever they wear, the Steelers will don their new alternate uniforms in half the primetime games the team will play in during 2025.
