NFL Jersey Repairs

[JasonBanz]

I just recently started getting my hands on the Nike made jerseys from 2012 onward. From collecting Reebok in the past I've noticed Reeboks were constantly repairs but it looks like I've never seen a repair done on a Nike. Is this because Nike's material is much more durable and doesn't rip as easy? Or do some of you have Nike jerseys with repairs?

[Phil316]

I have come across Seahawks Nike gamers with team repairs. I have a few in my collection like Brandon Mebane with team repairs. They are out there. However the majority of my Seahawks items come right from the players.

I think most game used jersey's from NFL auctions are worn for one game then auctioned off.

[bigben7]

I have a 2015 Nike Steelers jersey with 7 team repairs.

[sox83cubs84]

Going back to the 1990s, Infinite Auction counted 17 repairs on a 1993 Chargers road jersey of Natrone Means, made by Russell, that is in their current auction.

Dave Miedema

[Samets]

I can only speak for the Chicago Bears jerseys since that's all I collect.

Some players are/were given a new jersey every game such as Brandon Marshall that traded almost every jersey he wore. Martellus Bennett kept the majority and sold them at the end of the season.

Other players wore the same jersey for several games and those show excellent use and have been repaired.

Attached is a collage of Matt Forte that shows multiple repairs from the 2013 season as well as She McClellin from the 2015 season:

[Mattapan03]

It really depends on the team, and the position of the player. Skill positions such as DB and WR will rarely show many repairs. Lineman and linebackers on the other hand is an entirely different story. Those jersey's are pounded with repairs.

Now it also depends on the team. Some players wear a new jersey every game so obviously you wont find any repairs on those.

To your last point, there is alot of belief that the NFL teams arent happy with the Nike jersey's. The quality actually seems to be worse than Reebok, the material is flimsier, and tears easier, etc.

[Linkeleo]

To your last point, there is alot of belief that the NFL teams arent happy with the Nike jersey's. The quality actually seems to be worse than Reebok, the material is flimsier, and tears easier, etc.

IMO, it's a shame that more teams did not adopt the Nike branded Rippon Athletic jerseys instead of the "Elite 51" that most teams have now. Those were the highest quality NFL jerseys I've seen in a long time (slight upgrade in materials over the Reebok branded Rippons, especially the patches, replacement of the oversized NFL equipment shield with the NFL shield also a huge plus) but only a few teams ever used them since 2012 and at least one team I know of, for some reason, only used them for a couple of years before switching to the "Elite 51" jerseys...

I agree with your comment about quality of the Elite 51s being worse, I assume that the reason they are so popular in the NFL is due to something in Nike's contract as well as all of the buzzwords and marketing they constantly push out about them. But that's just my viewpoint, and in my opinion they also just look bad.

[Linkeleo]

Oh, and the part of my post that is relevant to the op that I left out... sorry about that

Most of the Elite 51 jerseys I own or have owned don't have repairs, and mostly only used for one game. I do have a few that do; however, and one thing I notice is they also sometimes have problems with the elastics (around the arms for example) and the flywire collar seems to have "dried out" if you will - not something that can really be repaired. Combined with the material also seeming to be harder to work with and repair, maybe teams are being forced to use jerseys for only a game or two because they simply can't repair them very well?

[mad87man]

Now with jersey swaps being so popular a lot of players go through jerseys one per game. i have a few Nikes with repairs.

What is the difference between the 2 types of Nike jerseys? any pics?

[JasonBanz]

Thanks so much for showing me some of the items you've had with repairs! For some reason I am a big fan of seeing jersey repairs

I'm also surprised to hear that teams aren't happy with the quality. I thought the new Nike jerseys felt stronger. Maybe I'm wrong. I do have a 1999 Nike coming soon through a Mears auction I just won. I'll check out the difference.