STAR WARS™ Meets the NFL
Gridiron Glory in a Galaxy Far, Far Away….
Pop-culture crossovers with pro sports have always been a staple of the HOMAGE ethos. We believe that combining the best of two iconic worlds cultivates something fresh, unique, and essential — and when it comes to the NFL and Star Wars™, you’ll find the connections run deeper than a Gungan underwater society.
From the red zone to the Death Star. From Sunday kickoffs to Star Destroyers. Football and Star Wars share the same energy: high-stakes pressure, pride, and absolute fandom.
Why wouldn’t these two cultural institutions collide?
Designing the Star Wars NFL Collection
Diving into a collaboration like this, ask yourself: What sets HOMAGE apart from what else is out there? A true devotion to the art and vintage style of a period in time.
Think back to those Tom Jung and Drew Struzan Star Wars posters, or your favorite Alex Ross comic cover. Think of the feelings they inspire to this day about a galaxy far, far away. Star Wars has always been associated with iconic pop art, and the HOMAGE team wanted to bring that personal touch to this collection.
“In the build-up to this project, a lot of time was spent diving into inspiration,” said HOMAGE designer Bobby. “We dug through mountains of vintage art looking for that special spark to add to our designs. Our designers also visited Disneyland to go through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge — plenty of photos were taken to bring back to the team, and notes were made of what was already in the market so that we could focus on bringing something new with a special HOMAGE touch.”
Since 1977, Star Wars has been in the zeitgeist. In many ways, it has defined what modern pop culture has become. With thousands upon thousands of toys, games, and other Star Wars-branded merch, how exactly do you stand out? What can a new collaboration bring to the table that makes a Star Wars fan with a favorite NFL team sit up in their seat?
Eric, HOMAGE designer: Star Wars fans care about authenticity. We want to give them a design that feels like it’s for them, so every detail is important. A lot of us are superfans, so we designed artwork that we thought would be cool to wear.
Adam, HOMAGE designer: Star Wars is one of the biggest and most beloved stories in pop culture history with so many diehard fans. Not doing the research and paying attention to the small details would be doing it a disservice. There are millions of people who know the Star Wars™ universe like the back of their hand, and it’s important to be able to pay homage to these beloved characters.
Bobby, HOMAGE designer: Star Wars is such a ubiquitous name within pop culture. It’s easy to just use assets provided to us. For many brands, that’s enough and the customer is none the wiser — but that’s not how we do things at HOMAGE. We always aim to create designs that are authentic to the subject we’re working with. Above all, our designs must serve the stories they reflect and the fans who will wear them.
Hand-drawn Dedication
In the days before computer-generated graphics, the original Star Wars films relied on handmade, hand-painted models of incredible detail. The Millennium Falcon and other ships of the Empire and Rebel cause were products of meticulous design. Tremendous care was put into every specific detail of, say, a Star Destroyer, because that detail brought the realism of an imagined world to life on screen.
It was vital to bring that same aesthetic to the Star Wars NFL collection.
Eric: I think there’s a level of unpolished charm when you hand draw a design. From different line weights to textures, it’s nice to have a human touch.
Adam: The hand-drawn designs give the tees an important personal touch. Star Wars has been in the middle of pop culture for almost the last 50 years, and with NFL team fandoms, there are tons of people who care deeply about these two worlds. Bringing them together makes that hand-drawn authenticity noticeable and meaningful.
Bobby: What’s so good about classically illustrated graphics is that they’re not perfect. The little wobbles of the hand, slightly off proportions, the texture from pen across paper — that’s what makes vintage so great. What’s “wrong” with it gives it character and makes the design unique. When these movies came out, there was no other option than to create by hand. It wouldn’t be authentic to do it any other way!
Perhaps the biggest challenge to the HOMAGE team was finding those inherent connections between Star Wars characters and specific NFL teams. Some connections are obvious — Vader Nation, for instance — while others could only fit through a deep knowledge and respect for both Star Wars and football fandom.
“We started with a list of what we thought were the most iconic and popular characters,” said Director of Graphic Design Kristen Schwenger. “From there, it was a long process of combing through team slogans, Star Wars quotes, and puzzle-piecing the best phrase and character with the team.”
Explore the Collection
See how this alliance came together in the full collection — a light side and dark side for your favorite team. Heroes who rise. Villains who dominate. Dynasties and underdogs written into every season — and those same stories mirrored in Star Wars for decades, continuing to be told today.
The HOMAGE Star Wars NFL Collection is built for the fans who see themselves in both sagas — those who carry their allegiance across every galaxy and wrap themselves in myth-making, main characters, and rivalries.
The worlds of the NFL and Star Wars have created generations of fans, cherished stories, and unforgettable memories. Loyalty — whether to a team, player, character, or ranking of the original trilogy — has been passed down and held sacred. The nostalgia and connections forged between these two universes have become essential elements of our own stories being told.
Creating this collection wasn’t just an opportunity to add chapters to these stories — it was a responsibility.
So, your path you must decide. What will it be: light side or dark side?
Always in motion is the future, but your choice now is clear: Pay homage.
