Tulane University football is bringing a fresh look to the field, one that celebrates the city it calls home. The Green Wave’s new “city edition” uniforms pay homage to the culture, history and artistry of New Orleans, weaving elements of the city’s iconic visuals into the team’s identity. 

“We really wanted to highlight the New Orleans street tiles and wrought iron for the main inspiration,” Cody Heidbreder, Tulane’s director of football equipment, said. “The street tiles themselves were an easy tie-in with the blue being so similar to ours. Adding the wrought iron was to tie in some green so both of our team colors were present.” 

The creative process behind the new uniforms started with a single question: What makes New Orleans instantly recognizable? The answer, Heidbreder said, came from the city’s streets themselves. 

From the ceramic blue street tiles that mark street corners in Uptown to the curling wrought-iron railings that define balconies in the French Quarter, every piece of the design is tied to the city’s landscape.  

“We wanted the uniforms to feel like they were pulled straight from the streets of New Orleans,” Heidbreder said. “It’s something subtle, but for people who live here, it’s instantly familiar.” 

The helmets were designed and painted by Armando Villarreal, a renowned helmet artist who has created unique helmets for football teams such as University of Maryland, University of Michigan, Brigham Young University and the University of Utah since 2018.  

“I am hoping that the uniforms will help make the University even more synonymous with the city of New Orleans,” Heidbreder said. “Our goal is to put the team in something that the community can see the city in. We just want it to feel like New Orleans.” 

In a college football landscape where teams often emphasize state pride — like Texas, University of Florida or University of Alabama — Tulane’s approach stands out.  

“We have seen many teams across the country highlight their state, but we felt we had a unique opportunity to highlight our city in a way that hasn’t been done by anyone else — subtle nods that the community will see and recognize,” Heidbreder said. 

Beyond the design details, the uniforms carry a sense of civic pride in the city the Wave calls home. 

“When fans see these uniforms, we want them to feel that sense of home,” Heidbreder added. “This is about being part of New Orleans, not just playing in it.” 

Tulane football has seen growing national attention in recent years, especially as the possibility of a College Football Playoff run reenters the conversation, but Heidbreder said this design brings the focus back to where it all started: the city that fuels the program’s spirit. 

“These uniforms are a statement,” he said. “When we take the field, it’s not just Tulane versus whoever we’re playing — it’s New Orleans showing who we are.” 

The new look is also expected to play a role in recruiting. Unique and locally inspired designs have become a valuable tool for college programs trying to stand out to high school athletes. 

“Helping in recruiting is always a byproduct of making a cool uniform,” Heidbreder said. “We hope that these uniforms will not only help in recruiting across the country, but also right here in New Orleans.”  

Many recruits from the region are drawn to Tulane not just for its academics and athletics, but because it offers the chance to play in one of the most distinctive cities in America, Heidbreder said. A uniform that celebrates the Crescent City plays an important role. 

Of course, the most important reaction may come from the stands. Heidbreder hoped the uniforms connect not only with students and alumni, but with anyone who calls New Orleans home. 

“We hope it is positive,” Heidbreder said. “We wanted to make something that people from around the city, Tulane fan or not, would look at and say, yeah, that is New Orleans. That is my city.” 

Fans will get their first full look when the Green Wave take the field in the city edition uniforms later this season, and Heidbreder said that moment is what it’s all about. 

“When those players run out and the crowd sees them, I just want it to feel like New Orleans,” he said. “Because at the end of the day, that’s who we are.”