Bills debut iced out uniforms that have ‘Game of Thrones’ vibe

If you’re a ‘Game of Thrones’ fan, then you might like the new uniforms the Buffalo Bills will be wearing Sunday night. The look, not to mention the team’s social media promotion of the new threads, has quite the White Walkers vibe. And if ever there was a team that seems based north of the Wall − heck, the Bills even have a new stadium rising from the frost, much like Winterfell in the famous opening credits of ‘Thrones.’

The undefeated AFC East leaders are also promoting a white-out environment − hopefully more effective than Penn State’s yet as unforgiving a landscape as that of northern Westeros − for a ‘Sunday Night Football’ battle with their longtime divisional foes, the New England Patriots. The Bills are encouraging fans to wear all white to Highmark Stadium for what could be the venue’s final ‘SNF’ showcase.

And whether or not you’re a fan of HBO’s fantasy series, or even a member of Buffalo’s vaunted Mafia, you might appreciate Nike’s latest installment of its new ‘Rivalries’ uniforms − the Bills following the Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins as the third team to wear them this season.

What’s new about the Bills’ ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Dubbed their ‘Cold Front’ alternates, according to the Bills’ website, they are meant to symbolize ‘the city’s DNA stitched into fabric. When you think Buffalo Bills Football, you think ice in the air, grit in the soul, and a city that thrives in the cold. It’s not just iconic. It’s Buffalo.’

The red trim long associated with Buffalo’s unis is also notably absent. According to the Bills, ‘Every trace of red has been stripped away to unleash the heart of a Buffalo winter. Red means warmth — and there’s no warmth here. This uniform is forged from snow, ice, and the unforgiving cold. It doesn’t just represent winter… it is winter.’

It’s only Oct. 5, guys − throes of autumn − but details, details.

Regardless, this getup is icy, the stripes on the helmets and pants evoking a frozen body of water like the one the unfortunate dragon Viserion crash landed onto in ‘Thrones.’ The numbers and helmet insignia are meant to appear frosty and metallic − though NBC play-by-play man Mike Tirico noted that the shimmery digits were hard to discern from the booth. The team’s legion of supporters should be thrilled to see “Bills Mafia” stitched inside the collar. But the coolest detail is the silvery, texturized charging buffalo logo on the sleeve.

What are NFL ‘Rivalries’ uniforms by Nike?

Think of them as the football version of the sports apparel company’s NBA ‘City Edition’ uniforms or Major League Baseball’s ‘City Connect’ jerseys. Signaled during the NFL draft and unveiled in August, Nike has strived to create something that further strengthens NFL teams’ bonds to their unique civic environments. And, as “rivalries” would suggest, all of them will be worn in intra-divisional matchups.

‘The 2025 Rivalries uniforms will celebrate storied local traditions and unite fan communities with designs unique to select cities and teams,” Nike announced during the rollout.

‘The designs are rooted extensively in the legacies and inspirations true to each team, serving as authentic, competitive expressions of community pride while giving athletes and fans an opportunity to connect like never before.’

Which NFL teams have ‘Rivalries’ uniforms?

Eventually all of them. But for 2025, each team in the AFC East and NFC West is scheduled to wear its “Rivalries” unis one time this season. Two additional divisions will be added to the rotation in each of the next three seasons, and the “Rivalries” option then becomes part of a team’s closet for the following three years.