Bears Throwback Uniforms: Staleys Red to Navy and Orange
Posted by JerseyZenith on Oct 25th 2026
- The Bears' earliest jerseys were red with brown stripes in 1920.
- A 1957 NFL rule made navy the home color.
- The GSH patch dates to 1983.
- The 2026 Rivalries uniform is inspired by 1948.
This guide covers the Chicago Bears' uniform history from the team's early years to 2026, mostly from Wikipedia's logos and uniforms timeline. It does not cover every minor change.
Chicago Bears uniform timeline
| Year | What changed | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| 1920 | Red jerseys with brown stripes as the Decatur Staleys | The team's earliest look |
| 1923 | Blue jerseys and navy and orange colors | The origin of navy and orange |
| 1932–1936 | Experiments with white, all-orange and striped designs | The source of the 1936 throwback |
| 1949 | Navy shirts with white rounded numbers | A look that lasted decades |
| 1957 | NFL rules make home teams wear dark jerseys and road teams white | Why the Bears wear navy at home |
| 1983–1984 | GSH tribute patch after George Halas dies; navy pants added to the road kit | The patch explained in our GSH guide |
| 1994 | NFL 75th anniversary throwbacks | The first modern Bears throwback |
| 1995 | First all-white uniform | A new road look |
| 2002 | First navy pants with navy jerseys | A darker home look |
| 2005–2008 | Orange alternate jerseys | The orange jersey fans search for |
| 2010 | Monsters of the Midway throwbacks | A nod to the 1940s nickname |
| 2012 | Nike becomes the supplier; the GSH patch is enlarged | The modern design |
| 2016–2017 | All-blue Color Rush uniforms for Thursday night games | A one-off look |
| 2019 | 1936 throwbacks and a Bears100 patch for the centennial | The team's 100th season |
| 2022 | Orange helmet paired with the orange alternates | A new helmet |
| 2025 | VMH patch for Virginia Halas McCaskey | Echoes the 1983 GSH patch |
| 2026 | Rivalries uniform inspired by 1948: navy jersey, orange helmet and pants | A new alternate for Christmas |
From Staleys red to navy and orange
The Bears began as the Decatur Staleys in red with brown stripes in 1920. By 1923 they had moved to blue jerseys with navy and orange. In the early 1930s the team tried white, all-orange and striped designs before settling on navy and orange. In 1949 it adopted navy shirts with white rounded numbers.
Navy at home
A 1957 NFL rule required home teams to wear dark jerseys and road teams to wear white, so navy became the Bears' home color. Pants run the other way: white at home and navy with the white jersey. The Bears added navy pants to their road look in 1984 and introduced navy pants with navy jerseys in 2002.
Patches and tributes
The GSH patch for George Halas was added in 1983, and was on the left sleeve from 1984. The Bears also wore a No. 34 patch for Walter Payton in 1999, an Ed McCaskey shamrock in 2003 and a Bears100 patch in 2019. A VMH patch honored Virginia Halas McCaskey in 2025. Our GSH guide has the details.
Orange, Color Rush and the 1948 look
Orange alternates ran from 2005 to 2008, and the Bears added an orange helmet in 2022. The all-blue Color Rush look appeared in 2016 and 2017. For Christmas Day 2026 the Rivalries uniform pairs a navy jersey with an orange helmet and pants, inspired by 1948. The Bears also won Super Bowl XX in the 1985 season.
Which era should you buy?
| Era | Closest current style | Where to shop |
|---|---|---|
| Navy and orange home | Navy home | Bears home jerseys |
| White road | White away | Bears away jerseys |
| Orange alternate | Alternate | Bears alternate jerseys |
| 1948-inspired | Rivalries | Bears Rivalries jerseys |
Our listings use the current Nike designs. If you want an older look, the closest current style is usually the best match, and each product page says which style it is.
Shop the modern looks
See the Chicago Bears jerseys, the Chicago Bears jerseys 2026 guide and the Bears jersey numbers guide. The Bears home jersey, the away jersey and the alternate jerseys show how today's design connects to the eras above.
Chicago Bears helmets through the years
The Bears' helmet has kept the wishbone C for decades, with a few special exceptions such as 1994 and the orange helmet added in 2022.
| Year | Helmet |
|---|---|
| 1962 | Wishbone C appears on the helmet |
| 1994 | All-blue helmets with no logo for the NFL 75th anniversary |
| 2005–2008 | Orange alternates (jersey) |
| 2022 | Orange helmet added |
| 2025 | Football-shaped helmet decal with No. 76 honors Steve McMichael |
| 2026 | Rivalries uniform pairs a navy jersey with an orange helmet and pants |
For logo changes, read the Bears logo history, and see Bears colors and the NFL helmets guide. Our legends jerseys page covers Retired Player styles.
Other ways to search for the Bears throwback uniforms and helmets
Fans also search for chicago bears football helmet, chicago bears helmet logo, chicago bears throwback uniforms, chicago bears logo helmet, history of chicago bears uniforms and bears football helmet. Those searches all lead to the same uniforms, helmets and throwbacks described here.
FAQ
Why do the Bears wear navy at home?
A 1957 NFL rule made home teams wear dark jerseys.
When did the Bears have an orange jersey?
Orange alternates were worn from 2005 to 2008, and an orange helmet was added in 2022.
What was the Bears' first uniform?
Red jerseys with brown stripes as the Decatur Staleys in 1920.
What is the Bears 1936 throwback?
A 1936 design worn for the team's centennial in 2019.
What do the Bears wear in 2026?
See our Chicago Bears jerseys 2026 guide for every uniform and date.
Which Bears numbers are retired?
See our Bears jersey numbers guide.
What does the Bears helmet look like?
A navy helmet with the orange C; the orange helmet is an alternate.
What is the Bears helmet logo?
The wishbone C, which stays on the helmet after the bear head became the primary logo in 2023.