Colts' new uniforms: Indianapolis debut 'Anvil Strike' alternates vs. Texans - USA Today

The Indianapolis Colts are going to look quite different for their Week 3 game against the Houston Texans – and Indy fans certainly hope that’s figuratively true on the field for their 0-2 squad. But from a literal standpoint, the Colts will be the first team in 2026 to debut their alternate “Rivalries” uniforms from Nike with Indianapolis’ specifically branded as “Anvil Strike.”

To the uninitiated – or those who don’t give a rip about football fashion – the Colts will be wearing an unfamiliar gray uniform and blue helmet. However, according to the team, and in keeping with the layered meanings so many new alternate kits seem to claim, “The Anvil is where history meets modern power. More than a gameday tradition, it stands as a symbol of strength, resilience and the relentless spirit that defines Colts football. Every strike creates something stronger. Every spark fuels something greater. From the field to the stands, that energy unites generations of players and fans under one enduring symbol: the Horseshoe.”

The Colts have essentially transposed the look of their iconic helmets. The new ones are a glossy, metallic blue with the familiar horseshoe logo in white. Instead of a white stripe down the centerline – which might actually pop more – there’s a black one instead. The jerseys and pants are technically “dark anthracite.” The grommets of the horseshoe appear inside the striping down the pants and over the shoulders while “reflective accents capture the sparks and motion created by every strike” – whether to an anvil or from Jonathan Taylor’s legs, presumably.

Think of them as the football version of the sports apparel company’s NBA "City Edition" uniforms or Major League Baseball’s "City Connect" jerseys. Nike has strived to create something that further strengthens NFL teams’ bonds to their unique civic environments. And, as “rivalries” would suggest, all of them will be worn in intra-divisional matchups.

“Rivalries uniforms will celebrate storied local traditions and unite fan communities with designs unique to select cities and teams,” Nike announced during the program’s launch in 2025.

"The designs are rooted extensively in the legacies and inspirations true to each team, serving as authentic, competitive expressions of community pride while giving athletes and fans an opportunity to connect like never before."

Eventually all of them will. This year, AFC South and NFC North squads will join the AFC East and NFC West teams that kicked off the initiative last year. Every team that has a “Rivalries” uni is scheduled to wear it once this season. The other four divisions will be added to the rotation over the next two seasons, and the “Rivalries” option then becomes part of a team’s closet for the following three years.

▶ Indianapolis Colts: Sept. 27 vs. Houston Texans

▶ Green Bay Packers: Oct. 11 vs. Chicago Bears

▶ Detroit Lions: Nov. 1 vs. Minnesota Vikings

▶ Jacksonville Jaguars: Nov. 1 vs. Indianapolis Colts

▶ Tennessee Titans: Nov. 15 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

▶ Houston Texans: Nov. 19 vs. Indianapolis Colts

▶ Minnesota Vikings: Dec. 20 vs. Detroit Lions

▶ Chicago Bears: Dec. 25 vs. Green Bay Packers

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