NFL Changes 2015

[Ben5]

He also had a sliver version that he wore a few games and reverted back to the vsr4. I think he also wore an xp that season at least in preseason.

For even a select few players to wear the vsr4 there simply has to be replacement inventory. If you play any interior position that has contact every play there's a realistic chance that the shell will not make it through the season and you simply cannot repair a shell once it cracks/fails in the nfl. That would be taking a major risk.

I'm an equipment manager. Granted, I don't work in the NFL, but I have worked with college football. First off, most helmets DO make it the entire season without cracking. Cracks do happen, but not very often. If I had to guess, the most number of cracks I've seen during a season is around 5, and that's for the whole team.

Riddell stopped making new VSR-4s a few years ago. That is the truth. Everyone at Riddell I've talked to will tell you the same thing. The reason that Tom Brady or Jared Allen or anyone else can wear one of those is because the team has extra shells on hand. When they run out of shells, those helmets are gone. They can't get new ones. Riddell would much rather a team purchase a new Speed Flex than a bunch of old shells for a helmet that rates at the bottom of those Va Tech safety studies.

Your assertion that the equipment manager is lying (or part of some conspiracy) is ridiculous.

[guest23]

He also had a sliver version that he wore a few games and reverted back to the vsr4. I think he also wore an xp that season at least in preseason.

For even a select few players to wear the vsr4 there simply has to be replacement inventory. If you play any interior position that has contact every play there's a realistic chance that the shell will not make it through the season and you simply cannot repair a shell once it cracks/fails in the nfl. That would be taking a major risk.

I'm an equipment manager. Granted, I don't work in the NFL, but I have worked with college football. First off, most helmets DO make it the entire season without cracking. Cracks do happen, but not very often. If I had to guess, the most number of cracks I've seen during a season is around 5, and that's for the whole team.

Riddell stopped making new VSR-4s a few years ago. That is the truth. Everyone at Riddell I've talked to will tell you the same thing. The reason that Tom Brady or Jared Allen or anyone else can wear one of those is because the team has extra shells on hand. When they run out of shells, those helmets are gone. They can't get new ones. Riddell would much rather a team purchase a new Speed Flex than a bunch of old shells for a helmet that rates at the bottom of those Va Tech safety studies.

Your assertion that the equipment manager is lying (or part of some conspiracy) is ridiculous.

I never once thought there was a conspiracy but I think the nfl likes to throw out lame excuses to satisfy the press because they don't ever follow up. I think their behavior over the last year supports my statement.

There's no doubt that riddell no longer sells the vsr4 to the public (including colleges) for play. My point was that since the helmet has been discontinued for sale for so long (around 10 years correct?) how are players able to keep wearing them? There must have been some serious stockpiling of helmets for their use to have continued for so long.

As an equipment manager I have a question for you. What division is your program and what is your criteria for annual helmet replacement? For instance my small sample with a few pac12 players at different programs in the late 90's was that anyone with any significant wear & tear on their helmet shells got a new helmet every season. The budgets were big enough and simply from a cosmetic and potential risk standpoint it was easier to offload the old ones for refurbishing and donation/resale. Using that as the standard I had to assume at minimum that would be the nfl policy.

My position of skepticism comes from the fact that there simply would not have been enough helmets manufactured and stockpiled inventory to have sustained player needs for this long of a period. Also, It would not be out of the ordinary for riddell to do an annual nfl only production run of vsr4's. Sporting goods companies have produced discontinued and grandfathered equipment for pro players before so it's completely plausible that this is in fact the case.

The helmet shortage excuse may be in fact real but given the resources of the nfl I just have to be a tad skeptical that a scarcity of 1 or 2 discontinued helmet designs single handedly ended the throwback helmet. Then again just about anything is possible I suppose.

[Cosmic]

I don't have a link or anything right now, but I do think I remember reading somewhere that a helmet manufacturer produced discontinued models for players.

[Ben5]

I have only worked at Division 1 programs. First a BCS Big 6 school, now a FCS school. We would change shells out very often. Some of the linemen might get a new shell every week, if they looked bad enough. We had a lot of extra shells on hand, and we would send the old shells out to get repainted often. We would let players keep their helmets at the end of their career, so at most a helmet would last us five years.

This is how they have so many old helmets on hand. Back when you could buy new VSR-4s, you would have a bunch in stock. As fewer players wear that, you could use what you have on hand to replace the beat up shells. When a helmet cracks, all you need is a new shell.

[ltjets21]

I have only worked at Division 1 programs. First a BCS Big 6 school, now a FCS school. We would change shells out very often. Some of the linemen might get a new shell every week, if they looked bad enough. We had a lot of extra shells on hand, and we would send the old shells out to get repainted often. We would let players keep their helmets at the end of their career, so at most a helmet would last us five years.

This is how they have so many old helmets on hand. Back when you could buy new VSR-4s, you would have a bunch in stock. As fewer players wear that, you could use what you have on hand to replace the beat up shells. When a helmet cracks, all you need is a new shell.

I heard a helmets lifetime is now ten years, now do you think guys like Witten and Allen have been wearing the same exact helmet?

[TheBigFiz21]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this season upcoming will be the Ravens' 20th season in the NFL. Should we expect an anniversary logo soon (at least before training camp starts up)?

[FiddySicks]

He also had a sliver version that he wore a few games and reverted back to the vsr4. I think he also wore an xp that season at least in preseason.

For even a select few players to wear the vsr4 there simply has to be replacement inventory. If you play any interior position that has contact every play there's a realistic chance that the shell will not make it through the season and you simply cannot repair a shell once it cracks/fails in the nfl. That would be taking a major risk.

I'm an equipment manager. Granted, I don't work in the NFL, but I have worked with college football. First off, most helmets DO make it the entire season without cracking. Cracks do happen, but not very often. If I had to guess, the most number of cracks I've seen during a season is around 5, and that's for the whole team.

Riddell stopped making new VSR-4s a few years ago. That is the truth. Everyone at Riddell I've talked to will tell you the same thing. The reason that Tom Brady or Jared Allen or anyone else can wear one of those is because the team has extra shells on hand. When they run out of shells, those helmets are gone. They can't get new ones. Riddell would much rather a team purchase a new Speed Flex than a bunch of old shells for a helmet that rates at the bottom of those Va Tech safety studies.

Your assertion that the equipment manager is lying (or part of some conspiracy) is ridiculous.

I never once thought there was a conspiracy but I think the nfl likes to throw out lame excuses to satisfy the press because they don't ever follow up. I think their behavior over the last year supports my statement.

There's no doubt that riddell no longer sells the vsr4 to the public (including colleges) for play. My point was that since the helmet has been discontinued for sale for so long (around 10 years correct?) how are players able to keep wearing them? There must have been some serious stockpiling of helmets for their use to have continued for so long.

As an equipment manager I have a question for you. What division is your program and what is your criteria for annual helmet replacement? For instance my small sample with a few pac12 players at different programs in the late 90's was that anyone with any significant wear & tear on their helmet shells got a new helmet every season. The budgets were big enough and simply from a cosmetic and potential risk standpoint it was easier to offload the old ones for refurbishing and donation/resale. Using that as the standard I had to assume at minimum that would be the nfl policy.

My position of skepticism comes from the fact that there simply would not have been enough helmets manufactured and stockpiled inventory to have sustained player needs for this long of a period. Also, It would not be out of the ordinary for riddell to do an annual nfl only production run of vsr4's. Sporting goods companies have produced discontinued and grandfathered equipment for pro players before so it's completely plausible that this is in fact the case.

The helmet shortage excuse may be in fact real but given the resources of the nfl I just have to be a tad skeptical that a scarcity of 1 or 2 discontinued helmet designs single handedly ended the throwback helmet. Then again just about anything is possible I suppose.

I would assume guys like Tom Brady don't change helmet shells very often considering it's basically a penalty to sneeze in their vicinity at this point. What would be the need? It's not like they need a warehouse of VSR4s for Tom Brady because his helmet shell keeps failing. I've even heard of instances where players (Deion Sanders, who actually faced some contact) have worn the same helmet shell through multiple teams for damn near the majority of their career.

[Dynasty]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but this season upcoming will be the Ravens' 20th season in the NFL. Should we expect an anniversary logo soon (at least before training camp starts up)?

I got a pretty good idea on what the logo will look like...

[Gothamite]

I have only worked at Division 1 programs. First a BCS Big 6 school, now a FCS school. We would change shells out very often. Some of the linemen might get a new shell every week, if they looked bad enough. We had a lot of extra shells on hand, and we would send the old shells out to get repainted often. We would let players keep their helmets at the end of their career, so at most a helmet would last us five years.

This is how they have so many old helmets on hand. Back when you could buy new VSR-4s, you would have a bunch in stock. As fewer players wear that, you could use what you have on hand to replace the beat up shells. When a helmet cracks, all you need is a new shell.

I heard a helmets lifetime is now ten years, now do you think guys like Witten and Allen have been wearing the same exact helmet?

It would not surprise me to learn that a professional athlete, upon learning that his favorite helmet is being discontinued, ordered four or five extra shells to keep on hand. Just in case.

[Ben5]

I have only worked at Division 1 programs. First a BCS Big 6 school, now a FCS school. We would change shells out very often. Some of the linemen might get a new shell every week, if they looked bad enough. We had a lot of extra shells on hand, and we would send the old shells out to get repainted often. We would let players keep their helmets at the end of their career, so at most a helmet would last us five years.

This is how they have so many old helmets on hand. Back when you could buy new VSR-4s, you would have a bunch in stock. As fewer players wear that, you could use what you have on hand to replace the beat up shells. When a helmet cracks, all you need is a new shell.

I heard a helmets lifetime is now ten years, now do you think guys like Witten and Allen have been wearing the same exact helmet?

I bet he's been cycling through the same few shells. I would assume the bladders inside are the same, as long as they have not popped at all.

[WinTheDay8]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

[ConcreteCharlie]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

If number 3 comes true, I want this

[illwauk]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

If number 3 comes true, I want this

I agree... but as well as the blue throwback gear sells, I doubt we'll be seeing any green throwbacks anytime soon. I can't imagine celebrating the 80th anniversary of the 1936 championship team is that pressing of an issue for the Packers.

[TruColor]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

Why would the Dolphins break out a Black alt? THAT would be BFBS of the highest order.

[Tigers6884]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

Why would the Dolphins break out a Black alt? THAT would be BFBS of the highest order.

Black is nowhere to be found in their current logo!!!

[Gothamite]

Alts have to be in team colors. So, no black.

[Tigers6884]

Alts have to be in team colors. So, no black.

*Whew!*

[WinTheDay8]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

Why would the Dolphins break out a Black alt? THAT would be BFBS of the highest order.

Just a feeling. They've got those black shorts they wear in practice and that are available at NFLshop.com

I figure it would look like these.

http://nflshop.frgimages.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_1638000/ff_1638419_xl.jpg&w=180

[TruColor]

Just a feeling. They've got those black shorts they wear in practice and that are available at NFLshop.com

I figure it would look like these.

http://nflshop.frgimages.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_1638000/ff_1638419_xl.jpg&w=180

If anything, I predict they'll come up with a Blue one - lots of sideline gear last season with Blue.

[Teal]

Any predictions for the changes this year? Last year the Eagles dropped black pants on us all as a surprise.

Here are my predictions, in order from what I think is probably going to happen, to what has a very small chance of happening but still might:

1. The 49ers alternate uniform will be black, like Kaepernick's practice uniform. (Bonus prediction is they wear it against Seattle in grey)

2. The Dolphins alternate will be either black or orange.

3. The Packers new alternate will be a green and yellow throwback, the Acme Packers are no more.

4. The Saints finally move away from the toilet seat collars

5. Some team changes the color of the NOB.

6. Some team, like the Eagles did last year, will quietly add another pair of pants for a new monochrome look and trot them out on a prime time game. My guess is the Broncos with orange pants.

Why would the Dolphins break out a Black alt? THAT would be BFBS of the highest order.

Black is nowhere to be found in their current logo!!!

I've said it before and I will say it again, Miami will have a Navy alternate.