Rutgers Unveils 9/11 Tribute Uniforms Honoring 37 Alumni for 25th Anniversary

Q: What hidden details on Rutgers' 25th-anniversary uniforms reveal the powerful legacy of 37 lost alumni?

The most meaningful hidden details are the helmet’s No. 37 and the “NEVER FORGET” markings woven into the uniform design. Rutgers’ white helmets carry a prominent No. 37 to honor the 37 Rutgers alumni killed in the Sept. 11 attacks. In some descriptions of the tribute, the number is paired with the names it represents, making the helmet the clearest personal link between the team and the university’s loss. The message “NEVER FORGET” appears down the pant leg, and reports also note it is placed on the back of the helmet. That wording turns the uniform into a visible act of remembrance rather than a purely stylistic tribute. Other subtle elements deepen the symbolism. Rutgers’ striping is described as a nod to first responders, echoing the university’s proximity to New York and New Jersey communities directly affected by the attacks. Some reports also say the gloves complete the message when players put their hands together, reinforcing the memorial theme. Taken together, the details make the uniforms less about aesthetics and more about memory: honoring the 37 alumni, recognizing the broader victims of 9/11, and passing that history to a generation of players born after 2001. The tribute also connects with the game’s setting, as Boston College will wear its Red Bandanna uniforms for Welles Crowther, adding another layer of remembrance to the night.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Sep 8

Rutgers said it will wear special uniforms and helmets Friday against Boston College to mark the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The tribute honors 37 Rutgers alumni killed in the attacks, with the program saying it will remember all those who lost their lives that day.
Boston College plans its own 9/11-themed uniforms for the game, recognizing alumnus Welles Crowther, who died helping people escape the South Tower.
The matchup comes as college football programs across the country prepare commemorations for Friday's anniversary of the 2001 attacks.