“You have to sacrifice more than other guys,” Pro Football Hall of Famer Zach Thomas said when he was awarded his gold jacket last year. While players like Chad Johnson wear it for fun during games, receiving an honor like his is a dream come true for any pro football player.
On August 5, 2024, nine new Hall of Famers will be inducted who will be forever remembered by football fans for generations to come. But have you ever wondered why players are awarded Gold Jackets? And most importantly, where does it come from? As most of you probably know, the company that makes these jackets is Haggar.
Texas-based menswear brand Haggar and the NFL have worked together since 1978 to celebrate the iron-willed, exceptional football players whose dedication and passion for the game resonates with the spirit of the game. On the surface, the jacket may look ordinary, but the devil is in the details, and this jacket has them in abundance.
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First, the jacket is made from hopsack wool. Unlike other NFL memorabilia, it can’t be replicated, making it one of a kind. Plus, Hall of Fame chairman David Baker said in 2019 that the jacket cost about $1,500, according to The Advocate. Original copies of these custom, high-end jackets would go for thousands more. But Baker said that so far, no deals have been made that would see the jacket made it into the hands of memorabilia dealers.
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The features, crest, colors, and even the buttons used on the jacket all have special meaning to the jacket. So why gold? Simply because the jacket is awarded to the player who embodies the “Gold Standard of Football.” Interestingly, the jacket the NFL has today is different from the jackets awarded prior to 2012. That year, a slight reddish tint was added to improve the jacket’s appearance on HD TVs.
The current jacket appears to have a few traces of gold in it, but the value is much more than that. The craftsmanship is exceptional and whoever designed the jacket appears to have been doing this for a long time. Another thing to note about the jacket is that it has a custom lining with the inductee’s name, grade, and induction number printed on the inside.
But these are just the details easily visible to the naked eye. There are a few more things that become apparent when you look more closely at the garment. The jacket features the iconic Hall of Fame crest and even has custom Hall of Fame buttons crafted with precise detail. So, you might be wondering, who designed this jacket and what it takes to create such a sophisticated garment.
The Gold Jacket is as special as the NFL Hall of Fame
What makes the Haggar Gold Jacket so special? First, the color of the jacket is not registered in any other color registry. Even if someone tried to copy the process, they would not be able to reproduce the color of the jacket because Haggar has kept it a secret for so long. But the sentiment that went into the jacket is just as important as the materials and techniques that went into making the jacket.
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Hagar is seeking to blend the personas of the ultra-wealthy players currently in the league with those who are remembered to this day for changing the game forever without putting wealth first: Hagar’s director of brand, licensing and communications explained it best in a statement to the NFL:
“It’s a mix of recent players who’ve made a lot of money and players who weren’t super rich who were playing 30 or 40 years ago. Their voices haven’t been heard for 20 years. It’s a big honour for them to be recognised. They’ll say, ‘We made it. I can’t believe it.'”
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Randy Moss, Charles Woodson, Zach Thomas, Joe Montana, Jim Brown and Peyton Manning have all been selected from among many other players to receive the honor. Here are some of the players who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the ceremony on August 5th.
Dwight Freeney (DE), Randy Gradishar (LB), Devin Hester (WR, kick returner, punt returner), Andre Johnson (WR), Steve McMichael (DT), Julius Peppers (DE) and Patrick Williams (LB) are just a few of the names you’ll see on NBC in the coming days. Not only will they be honored, but they’ll also be presented with this unique piece of apparel.
