NFL Teams with Black Helmets are Jacksonville Jaguars, Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Atlanta Falcons. Only 4 teams have them.
The black helmets are the primary wear of the players for these four franchises in the 2023 season. When you go to any of their home games, you can see them sporting these colors.
Black colors in the helmets are quite rare for a primary choice, but many teams have alternate NFL helmets that use this color scheme.
NFL teams have diversity in colors, logos, and uniforms that make the league truly colorful and appealing. Each franchise has its own brand of home jersey colors, road game uniforms, and color rush patterns.
Some franchises like the Titans, Seahawks, and Jets have also established throwback uniforms to honor their past teams of the 20th century.
The player helmets have also evolved over the years. In the beginning phases of the League, athletes wore leather versions, but it was snubbed in the late 1940s. Single bars were introduced in the mid-1950s.
NFL Teams New Helmets
NFL teams with new helmets cover 1. Detroit Lions, 2. Denver Broncos, 3. Minnesota Vikings, 4. Atlanta Falcons, and 5. Cleveland Browns.
These franchises have updated their headsets in either a radical or subtle fashion. Many have paid homage to their old team designs, while some have experimented with the new 2023 look.
With the new NFL rule change in 2023 regarding the one-helmet system, the franchises have the option to wear a second set. However, these headsets should feature the same model and size as the primary headgear.
1. Detroit Lions
The Lions unveiled their new headset in June 2023. The helmet features the classic 1960s logo.
The classic logo will glorify the franchise’s history, while the helmet itself will honor the 90th Lions season. This new variant also features an alternate shell painted for another color than silver for the very first time.
The blue headset contains the classic logo in silver color and contains two vertical stripes (blue and silver) behind the classical emblem. Moreover, a silver Facemask is featured. All these classical logos and stripes have made appearances in other formats for the franchise.
For instance, the logo’s elements were used to celebrate the life of the former owner William Ford in the players’ jerseys. The vertical stripes made its appearance as the 90th-anniversary patch atop the uniforms.
It is confirmed that the Lions players will don this new headset at two home games at Ford Field. The first entry will be during the Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. Similarly, the franchise will wear them again in Week 18 when they play against the Minnesota Vikings.
2. Cleveland Browns
The Browns introduced their new helmet in July 2023 as part of their white throwback uniform series.
The headgear contains an all-white color, with three connected stripes cutting right at the middle. Black colors fill the stripe at the sides, with black in the middle. There is no logo on the headgear.
The all-white headsets have a powerful history connected to the franchise’s success. This color scheme was rolled out in their first 6 NFL seasons. Donning this helmet, the Browns were able to capture 4 All-America Conference championships.
They donned the all-white headset in their first NFL year in 1950. The team successfully bagged the NFL championship. In 1952, the franchise decided to ditch the white color pattern and go with orange.
Cleveland Fans can witness the new white headsets in three matches. The first will be against the Steelers in the Week 2 game (the game will be an away fixture). The second appearance can be seen in the Week 6 game against the San Francisco 49ers.
The matchup against the 49ers will be at the Brwons home, so fans can get a first-hand glimpse of the white headsets in the stadium. Meanwhile, the third entry will be during the matchup vs New York Jets, the Browns’ last home fixture.
3. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons rolled out their new iconic red headgear that they will feature on three matchups in 2023. The headset is part of their throwback series.
This red headgear became popular when they introduced it as a throwback element in the 2022 season against the 49ers. They heeded the fans and brought it back for three matches this year.
The red headset was worn by the Falcons for more than 20 years, i.e. from 1966 to 1989. They ultimately converted to black headsets in 1990. The red variant features the Falcons logo in black, and three connected B&W stripes adorn the middle portion.
The helmet will make its debut at the Week 2 game against the Green Bay Packers. Likewise, these gears will make a second entry during the Week 6 matchup with the Washington Commanders. The final appearance will be in the Week 12 game against the New Orleans Saints.
All these slated games are at home, so the Falcons fans can witness the new alternate headsets first-hand at the Mercedes Benz Stadium.
First NFL Team To Put Logo On Helmet
Los Angeles Rams were the first NFL team to put the logo on their helmet. Rams player Fred Gehrke initiated the process in 1947.
Before 1947, the franchises played without much adornment of their team symbols over the uniform. Gehrie, however, believed that it was not the right thing. So, he sought to create a better identity for the Rams players on the football field.
Fred went to his coach to inquire about this issue, but the coach hesitated. Finally, the coach told Gehrie to go home and paint the headgear so that he could present it to the franchise owner. As an art major, it was no big deal for Gehrke.
After showcasing his first paint job, the owner fortunately approved and requested Fred to make 75 more pieces for a fee of $1 per headset. He happily took the job and painted the leather headsets in his own garage, which took the entire 1948 summer.
This Rams paint made its introduction in the 1948 preseason game between the Rams and Redskins. The fans loved the new look too. From then on, the logo was seen every gameday, and Gehrke also carried buckets of paint during the gamedays in order to fix any scrubs too.
Ridell decided to capitalize on this situation and started manufacturing headgear with Rams logos from 1949 onwards. Hence, Gehrke’s activity went on to become an important element of the NFL’s history.
NFL Team With Logo On One Side Of Helmet
Pittsburgh Steelers are the only NFL team that wears a logo on one side of the helmet. It was a temporary move that turned permanent in the 1960s.
The logo for the franchise was made by the US Steel Corps. The team did not make the logo permanent on both sides because they believed that the fans would like the new look of their symbol in the player headsets.
The equipment manager was instructed to put the emblem on only one side, i.e. on the right. When the Steelers had their yellow-colored helmets, the symbol was barely visible. However, this changed when the franchise switched to a black one. The logo and headgear color contrasted well.
Moreover, the 1962 Steelers were successful, making a 9-5 win-loss record and becoming playoff-bound. People’s interest in their one-sided logo coupled with the team’s success that year eventually catapulted the logo’s permanence.
Which NFL Team Does Not Have A Logo On Their Helmet?
Cleveland Browns are the only NFL team without logo on helmet. Their logo features the helmet design that could explain the non-essential need to feature in their headset.
After the formation of the Browns franchise in 1946, the team came up with a unique mascot called Brownie the Elf. Since the mascot was based on an animal like many other teams, it was a tedious task to put a simplified logo design for the elf.
When the team could not make concrete designs for their mascot, they opted to leave the headset without any visible emblem.
The Browns also made a big decision to change their symbols in 2015, which made the fans ecstatic. Some even called it the new beginning since the franchise had fallen down since 999. However, the Cleveland franchise made only small brighter changes to their emblems.
At one point in Browns history, former coach Blanton Collier sought to bring a change in 1965 by adding a CB in the team’s headgear. Promotions were done with this new look, but it never came to fruition.
Best NFL Teams Alternate Helmets In 2023
NFL teams with the best Alternate Helmets in 2023 are:
- Detroit Lions – Blue And White
- Atlanta Falcons – Red
- Cleveland Browns – Full White
- Indianapolis Colts – Full Black
- Denver Broncos – White and Orange
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Creamsicle and White
- Philadelphia Eagles – Kelly Green
The majority of these headsets are derived from the past team’s colors to honor their franchise heritage and for some, yearn the glory days.