Detroit Lions: Kerryon Johnson’s Rookie Premiere uniform is kind of a hot mess

Kerryon Johnson debuted in his Detroit Lions uniform at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere, with one big problem evident in the details.

The NFPLA held their annual Rookie Premiere over the weekend, bringing some of the top rookies out to California for a crash course on the business side of football. The event helps some of the most marketable players from the draft get a boost into their professional careers.

Kerryon Johnson was the lone representative from the Detroit Lions‘ 2018 NFL Draft class but that isn’t a surprise considering the event is geared for high draft picks generally at skill positions.

As part of the event, players get into uniform and get their first rookie card made during a photo shoot. It’s likely both a thrill for the players to put on their new uniform as an NFL player and for fans to get their first look at one of their team’s newest players in uniform.

Johnson’s enthusiasm was evident when tweeting out a picture of his new card.

However, you may notice a problem. A rather large problem.

The uniform Johnson has been put into for this photo shoot is not one of the Lions’ real uniform combinations. This is a mish-mash of the team’s regular home uniform sandwiched around the Lions’ throwback jersey.

For the sake of comparison, here is the team’s current throwback, worn for the first time on Thanksgiving Day 2017.

And the regular home uniform that debuted last season.

As you see, the throwback jersey features a simple block font and removes the numbers, stripes and any other graphics from the jersey shoulder/sleeve, pants and helmet.

Now back to that instant trading card of Johnson. The stripe on the side of the pants is clearly visible, all the helmet decals are there, yet the jersey is clearly the simplified version with just the block font numbers.

The Lions did a little mixing and matching of uniform sets last year. They wore the road pants with the rest of the normal home uniform to create an all blue look for their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football. Maybe Johnson’s photo shoot is a sign of things to come?

That’s doubtful considering the Rookie Symposium has been marred with uniform fouls. The mismatch we see with Kerryon Johnson isn’t unique. Other fans have noted discrepancies with other uniforms being either in wrong combination or just plain out of date.

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Unfortunately, this isn’t even a new problem. Kenny Golladay was at last year’s Rookie Premiere and was put in the same incorrect uniform combination.