oldschoolvikings Posted April 24, 2006 Share Posted April 24, 2006 Just a quick question I assume somebody here can help me with. We all know the LA Rams had the first helmet design, the hand painted horns, yellow on blue... I've seen the prototype at the Hall Of Fame dozens of times, but recently I saw something that surprised me. At the NFL Experience, at this year's Superbowl in Detroit, they had a display of Mick Tinglehoff's first year Viking's helmet from 1961. Supposedly this was the game worn helmet for the whole season... and the Viking horn was painted on. I had figured that by the 60's, NFL helmet designs would've all been decals, but apparently this isn't true. So... does anybody know when helmet decals came into the league, which team first, which team last (not counting Cleveland, of course), and if that Viking helmet was just an aberation? Thanks!! http://dstewartpaint.blogspot.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj32 Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Just a guess, but I think the Packers were the first team to use decals. The Packers' "G" was actually two decals - a forest green oval decal with a white 'G' decal on top. The Steelers also used decals in the early 60's. I know the Vikings, Rams and Eagles painted their logos on their helmets for a few years after other teams started using decals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John in KY Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Helmet logos didn't really become widespread until the AFL debuted in 1960 (almost all AFL teams had them except the NY Titans, Raiders, and Broncos). Really very few NFL teams had them until 1961; and you had some odd mixes of painted on stripes and decal logos for several years.I'm pretty sure the last team with painted on logos was the Rams; they didn't go to decals until the late '70s/early 80s - about the time you see the horns wrap around the helmet sweatband instead of going down to the edge of the plastic. I'm not sure when the Vikings changed to decals, but the Eagles likely changed in 1974 when they went back to the green helmets with the silver wings outlined in white - although it's possible they might have switched to decals for the last year of the white helmets with green wings in 1973. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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