Darius Rucker's New Fanatics Collection Includes a Jacket He Wore to an NFL Game in 5-Degree Weather

Originally published on people.com

Darius Rucker's favorite time of year has nothing to do with his storied music career.

"My joke is always that there's two times of year, football season and waiting for football season," Rucker tells PEOPLE. "I think football, especially professional American football, is the greatest sport in the world."

In celebration of the new season, which kicked off last night between the Buffalo Bills and the Los Angeles Rams, the Grammy-award winning artist just released his second collection of Fanatics x NFL sports merch. The original product line — with 22 pieces featuring all 32 NFL teams — dropped last year and had such momentum, the singer decided to give fans an expanded wardrobe this year, with 27 more items.

Released on a rolling basis, the new line consists of outerwear, shirts, and pants, and shorts will be available soon as well.

Though hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, Rucker is an avid Miami Dolphins fan, a loyalty with amusing origins. "I was five years old. I was with my mom and her sisters and cousins, all at this one house. It was Super Bowl Sunday and the Dolphins were playing the Cowboys. I went around and asked everyone in the house who they were pulling for, and I think everybody that I asked said the Cowboys, so I decided I was going to pull for the Dolphins.

"And I remember like it was yesterday, the Dolphins lost and I cried. And the next year, I started playing Pop Warner (a nonprofit that promotes youth football and other sports) and the Dolphins went undefeated. So when they go undefeated it's pretty easy to like them," he chuckles.

While the line features all 32 teams, Rucker is partial to his Dolphins merch. "I have tons of Miami Dolphins stuff and I wear it all the time. It's just perfect to put on as a T-shirt on Sunday. Sitting there with all your team stuff on, I'm honored to do it and proud to do it, but I think [the collection is] also stuff people are going to love."

And though much of the line consists of pieces you can wear to all the events surrounding football season, it also offers loungewear you can relax in when watching the game at home. "For me football's not just about the game, it's about all that stuff too. It's about tailgating, getting ready for the game with your friends, whether you're sitting in the house or going to the game. It's a whole experience."

During one particularly cold Green Bay game he attended with his son, Jack, Rucker was grateful to have one of the jackets from the new collection. "It was 5 degrees or something and we were standing on the field, but I was so warm. You know, that's probably one of my favorite parts of the collection." (When the father-son duo are at home, "our tradition is to wake up, have breakfast, and watch every show" ahead of Sunday's first games, Rucker explains.)

Since the line is modeled off what Rucker wears during football season, it's geared towards men's sizes, but the singer pointed out that his daughters wear the collection too. Much of the clothing is unisex-friendly, with many styles suited to different tastes and body shapes. "It's about comfort, but it's also about repping your team the way you want to rep your team," Rucker says.

He also says he'll be at every Dolphins playoff game this year (in between tour dates). But of course, Rucker isn't only excited about football this fall — he has an album scheduled to drop soon. "I'm about done with my record. We're doing the final mixes now. I'm excited. I always say it, but I think it's the best country record I've made. I'll be playing it in the playoffs with the Dolphins for sure."

Rep your team with items from the new NFL x Darius Rucker Collection by Fanatics collection below.