2004-2020 — The Modern Stripes
For the first time in 23 years and just the second time in team history, the Bengals' uniform underwent a complete redesign in 2004.
The team's signature tiger-striped helmet, widely considered among the most distinctive in football since its introduction in 1981, was not altered. The changes to the rest of the new uniform, however, were numerous.
The most noticeable differences from the previous design were the additions of a third jersey, a second pant and a second sock. To supplement the black and white jerseys, the team added a special-occasion orange jersey which could be worn in up to two games per year. Black pants were added to the lineup, marking the first time in team history that pants of a color other than white were officially part of the team's uniform. And, the orange-topped sock — worn in the 1981-96 uniform era — returned to the lineup as a mix-and- match option, joining the black-topped sock introduced in '97.
All three jerseys displayed a new tiger- stripe pattern on the shoulders. The black jersey featured orange sleeves, and orange trim on the sleeves and collar. The white and orange jerseys had black sleeves, with black sleeve and collar trim. The sleeves of all three jerseys were given white undersides. On the black and orange jerseys, the white undersides on the sleeves continued as wide stripes down the sides.
Modern, more rounded numerals replaced the block-letter uniform numbers that had adorned Bengals jerseys of the past, and the orange outline on the new numbers was given a shadow effect. In addition, the leaping tiger logo was removed from the sleeve, while the team's new striped "B" logo was placed in the center of the chest area, just below the neckline.
Both pants featured a new tiger-stripe pattern on the sides of the legs. However, unlike the old stripes, the new stripes did not extend straight down the full length of the legs. Instead, the new stripes curved slightly forward to a point just above the knees.