What is the rule on helmets?

[fgoodwin]

The reason you never see the Cowboys in the throwbacks anymore is because the throwback helmet is white, whereas their current helmet is silver-blue.

Since the NFL no longer allows separate throwback helmets, the Cowboys wear only those uniforms that include the silver-blue helmet. So how did the Packers manage to wear a different helmet in the recent Cowboys-Packer game, in which they wore their 1920s throwbacks? Did the Packers simply peel the stripes and logos off their current helmets? Or am I "misunderestimating" the NFL's one helmet rule?

I heard (but did not see) that the Steelers also wore a helmet as part of a throwback look that was not the same as their current helmets.

[ChrisBabcock]

Since the NFL no longer allows separate throwback helmets,

I've never heard of this. The Bills wear the standing buffalo on occasion. Or is it a new rule starting this year?

[Reaser]

They 'recommended' it three or so years ago, players wearing the same helmet all season.

The Steelers didn't wear different helmets.

The Packers just took the logo off of theirs - notice the green facemask.

[MatthewToy]

Teams have to wear the same helmets in every game. Stripes and decals can be changed.

[Hail Casares]

This doesn't always apply though..for the Denver game last Thursday the "color rush" uniforms had a different helmet color didn't they?


I had heard about this rule and think it's absurd. No. Fun. League.

You're literally helping neuter your own history with this stuff. Makes zero sense.

[BD Sullivan]

Teams have to wear the same helmets in every game. Stripes and decals can be changed.

Which explains why the Browns can't wear the white throwback helmets they began with in 1946 and 1950:

http://www.gridiron-uniforms.com/GUD/browns.shtml

[JohnH19]

This doesn't always apply though..for the Denver game last Thursday the "color rush" uniforms had a different helmet color didn't they?


I had heard about this rule and think it's absurd. No. Fun. League.

You're literally helping neuter your own history with this stuff. Makes zero sense.

Same helmets, different decals. As stated above, teams are only allowed to use one set of helmets.

[fgoodwin]

Teams have to wear the same helmets in every game. Stripes and decals can be changed.

Thanx Matthew. I guess the Cowboys could paint their silver helmets white to wear their throwbacks, but then repaint them silver for normal use. But since the silver is probably baked into the plastic shell, painting over it would probably look like crap.

[JWL]

This doesn't always apply though..for the Denver game last Thursday the "color rush" uniforms had a different helmet color didn't they?


I had heard about this rule and think it's absurd. No. Fun. League.

You're literally helping neuter your own history with this stuff. Makes zero sense.

They wore their same helmets. They just took off the current logo and put the old logo on them. If it was a true throwback look, the helmet would have been a much lighter blue color.

This current situation has something to do with the concussion problem and not having to want to make new helmets for just one game or something.

[MatthewToy]

The league's reasoning is that player's heads will be more accustomed to the helmet if it's the only helmet. I'm no anatomy major so I have no idea if that's true or not. Sounds more like a "cya" move than anything else. College teams wear 57 helmets a season nowadays and I haven't heard about their players being more concussed.