Lions and Jaguars debut community-themed gear in Week 8

The Detroit Lions and Jacksonville Jaguars will both wear their inaugural 'Rivalries' uniforms for the first time this Sunday in Week 8 NFL games. Both clubs play at home with a 1 p.m. ET kickoff, marking the first on-field appearance for these specific designs.

Detroit hosts the Minnesota Vikings in an NFC North contest, while Jacksonville welcomes the Indianapolis Colts. Although the teams unveiled these outfits earlier in the season, they have not yet used them in live competition. The NFL's 'Rivalries' program requires each franchise to create a look tied to local identity and community themes.

The Lions partnered with Nike on a 'Defend the Den' concept featuring a white jersey, white pants, and a Honolulu blue helmet. The helmet decal uses a carbon fiber texture to reference Detroit's automotive and racing heritage. The Jaguars' design pays tribute to Duval County with a teal helmet, a color first used by the franchise. The helmet displays the '904' area code on the front and the word 'Duval' on the rear bumper, paired with a white jersey and black pants.

Jacksonville officials stated that the number font draws inspiration from the city's historic music venues and southern rock influence. The team also noted that the teal helmet serves as a primary visual anchor for the new look. These additions complete a set of four uniforms now revealed for the AFC South and NFC North conferences.

Only the home team wears the special uniform in designated matchups. The Colts and Packers are the only other teams to have worn their Rivalries gear this season. Indianapolis debuted its kit in a Week 3 win over the Texans, and Green Bay wore its in a 31-7 victory over the Bears in Week 5. This leaves teams at 2-0 in games where they utilized their special uniforms.

The remaining schedule includes the Jaguars hosting the Titans on Nov. 15 and the Colts hosting the Texans on Nov. 19. Detroit will wear its design again in a Dec. 20 road game against the Vikings, and Green Bay will use its in a Dec. 25 matchup against the Bears. Each team can rotate the look for the next three years, but they will only wear it once this season.

The program launched in 2025 with the AFC East and NFC West. The AFC West and NFC East are scheduled to participate in 2027, followed by the AFC North and NFC South in 2028. By then, all 32 NFL teams will have unveiled their own community-themed designs.