Leroy Irvin was inside a VIP room at SoFi Stadium when he saw the past get splashed with the new 2021 Los Angeles Rams uniforms.
The defensive back once wore the “sol” on his sides with the blue horns wrapping around the color from 1980 to 1989. Irvin’s instant reaction was one of nostalgia from his Ram years.
“That looks like our old jersey. Nice!” Irvin told everyone inside the venue captured in a viral video released by the team on Tuesday morning.
Irvin was among the contingent of Rams legends who offered their reaction to the new throwback look revealed by the Rams on Tuesday morning. Irvin is known for intercepting 35 passes in his Ram years, plus forced 18 fumbles and recovered 13 of them.
Irvin was one of nine legendary franchise players who got the opportunity to see the newly redesigned throwback look alongside Jack Youngblood, Orlando Pace, Jim Everett, Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Jackie Slater and Eric Dickerson.
Dickerson himself helped take part in the uniform reveal released at 7 a.m. PT in a clip called “Threaded with Greatness” starring him and second-year running back Cam Akers.
Hall of Famers Love the Look
Pace, who won the 2000 Super Bowl while protecting Kurt Warner during the “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis years, was one of the last players to wear the white, sol and blue schemes. He approved of the design.
“I like the fact that you guys tied it in with some of the legendary Ram looks,” Pace told the Rams. “Really got back to that part of it. I loved the horns on the sleeve. I think that’s dope.”
Dickerson, who still to this day holds the record for most rushing yards in a single season with 2,105 set in 1984, was another who conjured up great Ram memories the moment he saw the newly refreshed throwback look, including the 85-yard touchdown scamper he had against the New York Jets.
“That most definitely brings back that memory,” Dickerson said, with the Rams Twitter account adding that legendary clip in the video. “And it was just a good-looking jersey.”
Slater, who played his entire 20-year career with the Rams which includes their first season in St. Louis, was joined by left tackle Andrew Whitworth in the uniform unveiling.
“I kind of like these shiny numbers right here,” Slater told Whitworth. “I like it. I like it.”
Whitworth responded by telling the Hall of Famer “To me, it’s the legend look. This is, kind of, the legend of Rams.”
Youngblood, who like Slater played his entire career with the Rams, was asked his first memory of seeing the color schemes. He recalled one game against a bitter NFC West rival.
“We went up to San Francisco and kicked their fanny,” Youngblood said laughing. It’s not determined which game he was referring to, but the defensive end played on Ram teams that went 12-2 all-time at the 49ers’ Candlestick Park.
Other Ram Reactions
Bruce will soon be the newest Hall of Famer to represent the Rams. One look at the new uniforms, and the wide receiver believes it’s title-winning material.
“This looks like a championship. This is the championship jersey,” Bruce told the spectators at SoFi.
Faulk, who won the 2000 Super Bowl alongside Pace, Holt and Bruce, loves how the 2021 look intertwines to what he wore in his first season as a Ram, saying “It’s going to connect history for our millennials. It’s really going to help bridge that gap for them on and off the field.”
Everett, who guided the Rams to the 1989 NFC title game, was introduced to the new look by new quarterback Matthew Stafford. After Stafford pulled the curtain, Everett responded with “I love you!” and then hugged the mannequin modeling the new, modernized look.
The jerseys are now on sale on Fanatics, which can be found here.
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‘That Looks Like Our Old Jersey:’ L.A. Ram Legends React to New Uniforms