Last Sunday, the Tennessee Titans turned back the clock and rolled out their “Luv Ya Blue” Oilers throwback uniforms from the 1970s as a tribute to the franchise’s past as the Houston Oilers. While many teams have found success bringing back throwback uniforms, in the case of the Titans, this may not be a cause for celebration due to the way the Oilers left Houston.

The Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1996 after Owner Bud Adams began secret negotiations with the City of Nashville Mayor Phil Bredesen. Adams felt that Houston would not give the Oilers a new stadium. Following the 1995 season, Adams surprised Houston when he announced that the team would be moving to Tennessee in time for the 1998 season.

The team decided to move to Memphis for the 1997 season as the Tennessee Oilers before reaching Nashville, where the team changed the name to the Titans following pressure from fans to rebrand the team.

This poses the question: when should a team celebrate its history when they have relocated from another city? Let’s look at a couple of examples of teams who have recently changed cities.

Oakland Raiders

The Raiders have truly established themselves as a legendary football franchise, one that has garnered a national following and built a highly recognizable brand. The argument for the Raiders to wear throwbacks is throughout their long and storied history, former players have always identified themselves as Raiders, regardless of the specific city they played in. This unwavering loyalty and connection to the team transcends geographical boundaries.

One remarkable aspect of the Raiders’ identity is that their uniforms have remained largely unchanged over the years. This consistency is a testament to the team’s commitment to tradition and respect for their past. While other teams may opt for frequent uniform modifications, the Raiders have chosen to stay true to their iconic silver and black design, which has become synonymous with their name.

When it comes to celebrating their rich history, the Raiders understand that it goes beyond the city they currently call home. Regardless of whether they were based in Oakland, Los Angeles, or even Las Vegas, the team takes great pride in its heritage and the accomplishments of its past players and coaches.

Fans of the Raiders, known as the “Raider Nation,” also play a crucial role in upholding this sense of tradition and history. They take great pleasure in showcasing their loyalty to the team, donning their silver and black attire with pride. Being a part of the Raider Nation means being a part of something larger than oneself, a passionate and unwavering community that transcends any single location.

The Raiders have cemented themselves as a national football brand, with an enduring legacy and a commitment to honoring their past. Their unchanged uniforms serve as a symbol of their tradition, while their celebration of history goes beyond the city they currently reside in. When you are a Raider, it is more than just being a player, it’s becoming a part of a timeless institution that spans generations. so it doesn’t matter what city they are in they will always be The Raiders with a loyal fan base.

LA Rams and LA Chargers

Both teams started in LA and returned to LA. No issues here wearing throwbacks. Next

Indianapolis Colts

The Baltimore Colts were a legendary team with an early rich Super Bowl history led by Johnny Unitas. The Colts ended up leaving Baltimore for Indianapolis, and while the move was a huge blow to the City of Baltimore, the team still kept the Colts brand, and the uniforms have remained the same for the most part.

The Colts have tried to celebrate their Baltimore past, but they have been met with some resistance by former members of the team like Unitas as he stated he played for Baltimore and instead chose to have his name in the Ravens Ring of Honor where he played opposed to being part of the Indianapolis Colts.

Despite having some resistance, the Colts wearing the Baltimore Colt throwbacks are fine since the brand has remained the same. The Colts have always identified as the Colts and tried to link themselves to their past as they built on their brand with some successful seasons when Payton Manning was in town. The Colts are not like the Raiders but still can honor the Baltimore past while have an Indiana heritage of their own.

Cleveland Browns and Houston Oilers

Speaking of Baltimore, this brings us to how the Browns left Cleveland, but more importantly, what the Oilers should have done when they left Houston. As the Browns did it right. Art Modell understood the importance of the Browns’ name to the fans of Cleveland, so when the Browns left in 1999 for Baltimore, rather than trying to move a team so branded to Cleveland and replace the Colts with an existing Browns’ name, the team instead opted to become the Ravens, so the name and colors stayed in Cleveland.

When last Sunday, the Titans made the effort to celebrate the franchise’s Oilers’ history, they were clinging to a brand that was not wanted in Tennessee and is a sore subject in Houston.

Wearing the “Love Ya Blue” Oiler uniforms was just wrong as Oilers rebranded to the Titans. Nashville fans didn’t want to be the Oilers from the beginning and the Adams family chose to end one of the more storied AFC franchises to date when they rebranded to the Titans.

Former Oilers players and fans in Houston have no legacy and no ties to the Titans, so when the chance came for the Oilers to return to Texas with the announcement of Houston getting a new franchise, rather than do the right thing and give the name back the name sat idle and Houston became the Texans with the Oilers forever gone.

In an effort to celebrate Oilers history in their own way, the University of Houston introduced their own version of the classic Oilers look. However, that was not received well by the league and the Titans. The University of Houston received a cease and desist letter to not wear their Oilers tribute uniforms, as it resembles too closely the defunct Houston Oilers, property of the Tennessee Titans. Instead of letting the rightful owners (the fans) of the Houston Oiler name celebrate their history, the Oilers legacy remains with a Titan franchise that displays the Houston colors to a fan base who doesn’t really care about the Oiler past.

it’s time for Adams family to let the Oilers history go and return it to Houston.