Ask Sam Farmer: Who thought those ‘Color Rush’ uniforms were a good idea?

Have a question about the NFL? Ask Times NFL writer Sam Farmer, and he will answer as many as he can online and in the Sunday editions of the newspaper throughout the season. Email questions to: sam.farmer@latimes.com

Am I the only person who thinks the monochromatic “color rush” uniforms are an abomination? They sear my retinas! Whose idea was that?

Thomas Boyle, Denver

Farmer: Those uniforms have certainly inspired some strong feelings, Thomas, especially when the NFL first rolled them out for a Thursday night game between the Jets and Bills last season. The Jets were green from head to toe, and the Bills wore all red.

Not only did the the players look like Christmas ornaments, the league was bombarded with complaints from colorblind fans who said they had a hard time distinguishing which team was which.

This season, to avoid situations in which the uniforms of competing teams are too similar, the league has some teams wearing all white.

For instance, the Rams will be in white when they play a Thursday game at Seattle, because the bright green of the Seahawks is too close to the bright yellow of the Rams.

The NFL and Nike came up with the designs, and the uniforms were worn in four games last season.

This year, the program was expanded to all Thursday night games.

“It was a way to celebrate and create a unique look for the Thursday night games,” league spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “It has helped drive engagement and conversation among fans, especially younger fans.”

Like the uniforms or not, there’s something we all can applaud: All the money raised from them goes to charity.

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Are the officials who work the sidelines and help with measurements for first downs employees of the league?

Warren Gannon, San Jose

Farmer: No. The seven-person “chain crews” are hired on a per-day basis by the home team.

Four of them work the same side of the field as the head linesman, who oversees them, then they all switch to the other side after halftime.

There’s a three-person auxiliary crew on the other side of the football field, but the official measurements are never made by that trio.

There is a person holding each end of the 10-yard chain, and a “box man” in a red bib who marks the approximate spot of the ball with a down marker at the end of each play.

A fourth person is stationary and marks the spot where the possession started.

sam.farmer@latimes.com

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