Everyone knows how much I love sports. For the past few years, I have attended the NFL Draft, it was a staple in New York for years. This year when I found out it was going to be in Nashville, I knew that I had to attend. Nashville is one of the cities that I have never visited and on my bucket list. This year I am getting to attend some extra events and can’t wait to bring them all to you.
First on the list is the introduction of the New Era Caps for the draft. I was lucky enough to be one of the first people to get the cap. The NFL draft hats have become a crucial aspect of the NFL draft routine.
New Era has long been the official draft-day cap for the NFL and this year the hat group has integrated local flags of each city into the individual team hats. Last year, New Era decided to feature team slogans on the front, and this theme was kept this year. The big difference is that you feel like you are from the city of the team hat that you select.
Here are some of the unique things associated with these caps.
This is also the 100th season of the NFL and from the start of the draft to the Super Bowl LIV that is being celebrated and commemorated by being displayed on the back of the caps.
The state flag colors don’t necessarily match the team colors of the team, the challenge was to design the flag that represents each individual club. They could not use city flags because the NFL has a team for example in Carolina that represents two states. The key was working with each individual each to identify what they wanted the flag to be or what ties them to their community.
The process takes roughly 16–18 months, from the time they sit down with the design team to the end when the cap is completed. The concept is that the fan will take pride in wearing the cap and will want to express the unique flair of the team.
To continue the celebration of youth and high school football, ten student-athletes from local Nashville high schools will take the Draft Stage to participate in handing the cap to 2019 NFL Draft Prospects after they are selected by their respective teams.
Now let’s take a look at each teams cap. The Jets cap will be released when they debut their new uniforms on Thursday.
Arizona Cardinals
Arizona has one of the most interesting state flags in the United States. On the cap, the yellow rays got replaced with black ones.
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons got stars around them inspired by the official state flag from 2003.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens already have the Maryland flag in its shield, so it makes it easier to create this the cap.
Buffalo Bills
If you’re from Buffalo, you know all about the 13 electric flashes on the city’s flag.
Carolina Panthers
This cap has tons going on it combines two states and the one team motto.
Chicago Bears
The Chicago city flag may be the most well-known city flag in all of America. The four six-pointed stars run up the right side of the hat.
Cincinnati Bengals
The three wavy lines in the Cincinnati flag represents the Ohio River.
Cleveland Browns
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys stayed true to the Texas state flag, they replaced the thick red bar with the Cowboy’s silver.
Denver Broncos
This is an interesting design for Denver as it is the city’s state flag.
Detroit Lions
This cap has a lot going on.
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay city flag is already part of the Packer’s logo.
Houston Texas
The Texans have always had the Texas state flag colors, and getting the subtle star in the middle of the blue ties it all together.
Indianapolis Colts
The city flag depicts that, and the Colts logo replaces Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis.
Jacksonville Jaguars
This design keeps the sunburst of the flag.
Kansas City Chiefs
This one came as a big surprise to me, as I thought it would be redder. The Chiefs' colors and this interesting flag had to make this one a challenge. The design represents Kansas City’s “City of Fountains: Heart of a Nation” theme.
Los Angeles Chargers
This one again surprised me that it is more white.
Los Angeles Rams
For the Rams and Chargers, New Era ditched the green, gold and red in the L.A. City flag but kept the jagged lines.
Miami Dolphins
The Miami colors were easy to work with, and New Era placed the palm tree in the city flag emblem on both sides of the cap.
Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings representing the Twin Cities, New Era went with the Minnesota state flag.
New England Patriots
There’s no New England flag. The Pats have played in Foxborough, Mass. since 1971, so using the city’s flag and the seal was used here.
New Orleans Saints
It does not get much easier than the Saints logo and the New Orleans city flag.
New York Giants
The New York City flag’s orange with Giants red and install that distinct ring around the seal.
Oakland Raiders
Stuck between Oakland and Las Vegas, the Raiders get Old Glory.
Philadelphia Eagles
“Philadelphia Maneto” is translated to “let brotherly love endure,” and it’s on the ribbon on the well-known city shield.
Pittsburgh Steelers
The checkerboard design comes from the city’s coat of arms.
San Francisco 49ers
There’s a fascinating history behind the California Bear flag that, if you have an hour, you should read. This flag is based off the flag flown by the California Republic in what is known as the Bear Flag Revolt of 1846.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle city flag was created for the Goodwill Games, so the 12 flag was the one they selected for their cap.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
This city flag has a lot going on so they pulled key pieces and placed on the front of the cap.
Tennessee Titans
The three-star emblem in Tennessee is one of the most recognizable, and the Titans have used it since leaving Houston.
Washington Redskins
Washington’s city flag is known across the country.
Now that you have seen them all, which is your favorite.
