Last month, the Houston Texans unveiled new uniforms that feature the addition of “H-Town” blue accents, which closely resemble the shade of blue used by the Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans franchise.
This is notable considering the Titans still own the intellectual property rights to the Oilers, including their Columbia blue and red color scheme, and introduced Oilers throwback uniforms last season as a result.
The Texans reportedly reached a “compromise” with the NFL and the Titans in order to add the color to their palette, with its use being restricted to an unspecified percentage of their uniforms and logos.
That includes the new “H” logo on their alternate blue helmets, as an accent on their corresponding Color Rush uniform and on the “H-Town” wordmark on the inside of the collar on their home blue, red alternate and white road jerseys.
But while fans in Houston are happy to have the color back in their possession, former Oilers quarterback Warren Moon – who played in Houston from 1984-93 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 – doesn’t feel the same way.
“The Tennessee Titans own that uniform. They own the history of the Houston Oilers,” Moon said during an appearance on “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams on Friday afternoon. “They had a chance to own it themselves and they didn’t want that ownership.
“They wanted to create their own identity, which makes sense. They’re the Houston Texans coming in, let’s create our own identity. But now because the Houston Oilers’ uniforms became so popular coming up, they wanted it back. You can’t have it both ways.”
Founded as a charter member of the AFL in 1960, the Oilers spent 37 seasons in Houston before moving to Tennessee in 1997. The nickname stuck for two more seasons before the franchise became the Titans in 1999.
The Texans, meanwhile, entered the NFL as an expansion franchise in 2002. Their original uniforms, which featured a red and navy blue color scheme that was pulled from the Texas state flag, remained largely unchanged until this offseason.
“Why can’t they just stay with what they had?” Moon asked. “They had a really nice-looking uniform the first time. Why do they have to keep harping on that? I don’t understand it. I really don’t.
“Have your own identity. You have a really good football team right now that won a playoff game last year. They got a chance to maybe go to a Super Bowl this year. Just create your own identity. Forget about the Houston Oilers. Forget about the Tennessee Titans.”
To be fair, the Titans and Texans play twice each season as rival members of the AFC South, so it’s not as if fans can simply ignore that the franchise exists. It also doesn’t help that the Titans rubbed it in their face when they wore Oilers throwback uniforms during their most recent matchup.
“I think if they weren’t in the same division, this wouldn’t be as big of a deal,” Moon said.
