“You have to sacrifice more than the rest,” is what Pro Football Hall of Fame Zach Thomas had to say when he was inducted to be enshrined with Gold Jacket last year. While people like Chad Johnson have worn it for fun during a live game, getting bestowed with his honor is a dream come true for any professional football player.

Come August 5, 2024, we will witness 9 more enshrinees who will forever be remembered by the football fans for generations to come. But have you ever wondered why the players are awarded with a Gold Jacket? Most importantly, where does it come from? Most of you might know about it, but the company that makes this jacket is Haggar.

Haggar, the menswear brand based out of Texas, and the NFL have been working together since 1978 to honor those who have an iron will and are exceptional football players. Those whose dedication and passion for the game resonated with game spirit. On the outside, the Jacket might look like something pedestrian. But the devil is in the details and this jacket has plenty of those.

For starters, the jacket is made of hopsack wool. It is one of a kind because, unlike other NFL memorabilia, it cannot be replicated. Moreover, the Hall of Fame president David Baker, according to the Advocate, in 2019 said the cost of the jacket is about $1,500. The original copy of one of these custom-made prestigious jackets would sell for thousands more. However, until now, per Baker, there haven’t been any such transactions that have resulted in the jacket being given to memorabilia dealers.

The features, the crest, the color and even the buttons used to make the jackets have a certain significance to them. So why the gold color? It’s simply to say that the jacket is presented to those who showcase a “gold standard in football.” Interestingly, the jacket that the NFL has today differs from the jackets given before 2012. In that year, a tint of slight red was added to improve the visual appearance of the jacket for high-definition TV.

While the jacket today looks like it might have some traces of gold in it, it’s more valuable than that. The craftsmanship is on a different level, and it looks like the person who designed the jacket has been doing it for a while now. Another interesting thing to note about the jacket is that it has a custom lining and the enshrinee’s name, class year, and induction number are printed on the interior.

But those are only the details that appear easily to the naked eye. There are a few things that we would appreciate if he took a closer look at the clothing. The jacket has the iconic Hall of Fame crest and even features custom Hall of Fame buttons that are crafted with precise details. So, you might be thinking about who designed the jacket and what goes into making such a refined piece of clothing.

The Gold Jacket is exclusive, just like the NFL Hall of Fame

What makes the Haggar Gold Jacket so exclusive? For starters, the color of the jacket hasn’t been registered with any other color registry. Even if people tried to copy the process, they wouldn’t be able to duplicate the color of the jacket. It’s because Haggar has kept it a secret for so long. But the sentiments behind the jacket are just as important as the material and the skills that go into making it.

Haggar strives to combine the personas of the super-wealthy players who are in the league currently, and those who are remembered to this day for changing the game forever without having wealth as their top priority. Haggar’s director of brand, licensing, and communications explained it the best in a statement to the NFL.

“What you get is a combination of the more contemporary players who have made a ton of money and guys who played 30 or 40 years ago who aren’t super-wealthy. You haven’t heard from them in 20 years. It’s a great honor for them to be recognized. They’ll say, ‘We made it. I can’t believe it.’”

Over the years, players like Randy Moss, Charles Woodson, Zach Thomas, Joe Montana, Jim Brown, and Peyton Manning have been the select few among many others to have been blessed with the honor. Here are some of the players who will be enshrined in the upcoming ceremony on August 5.

Dwight Freeney (DE), Randy Gradishar (LB), Devin Hester (WR, kick returner, punt returner), Andre Johnson (WR), Steve McMichael (DT), Julius Peppers (DE), and Patrick Williams (LB) are the few names that you’ll see on NBC in a few days. Not only will they be bestowed with honor but this one-of-a-kind apparel.