My DIY Custom JD5 Commanders (Redskins) Super Bowl (VII) Era Game Jersey

After the fun I’ve had putting together some DIY custom jerseys over the past several weeks, I decided to run it back once more using the same blueprint— but this time, I went full 1970’s throwback and made a JD5 Commanders (Redskins) Super Bowl (VII) Era game jersey.

I tracked down a perfect blank donor: a vintage-style BURGUNDY “Washington” jersey from KXKShop.com that uses the classic late-1960s/early-1970s layout. For the price,($23.99) it was a steal and had all the right foundational elements to build from— MESH and Tricot fabric, correct, old-school sleeve stripes, historically accurate burgundy, and the right cut with real underarm gussets to nail that vintage over-the-pads silhouette that today’s jerseys are missing.

To get the graphics right, I spent time studying photos from 1972— especially shots of Redskins kicker Curt Knight, who wore #5 back in the 1972 Super Bowl VII season. Between those images, a few archive articles, and some high-resolution stills, I was able to dial in the exact proportions, stroke weight, and placement of the big block “5” numerals used back then.

Once I had calculated measurements, I used A.I. to rebuild the front,(11”) back (12”), and sleeve numerals (around 3.75”) as clean digital files, staying true to that single-color look of the period.

I then used that same photo set to recreate the nameplate style— simple, squared, and era-correct—rendering “DANIELS” with the geometry tuned to match the old Redskins font from the early 70’s.

After I was happy with the builds, I sent everything to Jiffy to be printed on DTF. Quick turnaround and roughly $20 later, I had all the components in hand. From there, it was the same playbook as before: trim, align, and press everything down with my wife’s Cricut Easy Press, slow and steady to keep the vintage shapes crisp.

Even though it’s not a genuine Wilson gamer from the era, I did manage to source pictures of an accurate, old-style Wilson jock tag which I vectorized using Copilot and had printed on DTF also by Jiffy. I also added a variation at the collar to definitely help sell the vintage on-field look.

In the end, I’m honestly thrilled with how it came out. I know it isn’t museum-level perfect, but for a historically-styled DIY build—and for under $50 all-in—it checks a ton of boxes. The fit is roomy enough to throw over a hoodie, which is honestly perfect for cold-weather and game weekends.

I’m already eyeing my next build.