What's Your Favorite/Least Favorite NFL Helmet?

[Sport]

Favorites:

I like to keep it fairly simple so most of my faves include the Colts, Browns and Bears although I like the Chargers a LOT and don't care much for the Rams.

Least Favorite:

Jaguars by far. I've always hated their helmets and I hate the unused prototype even more. I don't know why but I also really don't care for the Titans or Ravens and that might have to do with the trailing point but then why don't I hate the Vikings or Patriots?

The what now?

If you've been following the NFL and/or uniforms for any amount of time over, say, two months, then you know about the original jaguars helmets and uniforms that were nixed by the Jaguar automotive corperation because they claimed the Jaguars logo resembled their jaguar too closely. Rather than go through a whole trademark battle, the team simply changed the logo and uniforms.

and we're all glad they did. The uniforms they were slated to wear would've been some of the most awful uniforms ever to hit an NFL field and they surely would've changed as soon as they were able.

[The_Admiral]

The Bears and pre-21stC Rams have the best helmets. I like any helmet that's more than a slapped-on logo, except for the Vikings. That one never appealed to me. Maybe because I didn't immediately identify it as a horn. The Bears helmet just looks great. Why do people want the bear head on there? It's looking forward. That doesn't make any design sense.

Anything with tapered stripes sucks. Either have stripes or don't.

[Delux247]

Top 10:

1- Eagles

2- Panthers

3- Seahawks

4- Buccs

5- Titans

6- Ravens

7- Broncos

8- Rams

9- Jaguars

10- Raiders

Bottom 5:

28- Bills

29- Colts

30- Cardinals

31- Chiefs

32- Packers

[swisherHOU]

Absolutely no bias here, the Texans have the best helmet (and uniforms) in the league. Well...maybe not when they wear all red.

[Jamikel]

But the best helmet of all time is this:

Redskins helmet from 1959-1953ish. Change the feather colors to yellow and white, and it's what the Redskins should wear today.

Conceptually, it's a stroke of genius. But aesthetically, it's only so-so. The spear looks much better as a helmet design, IMO.

[DallasSports]

Favorites: Cowboys, Packers, Saints, Lions, Ravens, Broncos

Least Favorite: Titans

[Panthers]

Best: Carolina. Suggestion: Panthers are black not silver. Helmet should be black. Rams: Simple and creative. Sugestion: I want to see them in throwback whites! Washington's spear. Suggestion: Make in permanent (I have one of the throwback jerseys - game worn. Awesome!!!).

OK: Jacksonville. Suggestion: Metallic gold. Jaguars are gold not black.

Worst: Cleveland. Please. do something! At least make the facemask white again.

[bulldogbarks55]

The best:

1. Vikings. OK, I'm a homer. And I am a full-blooded Norwegian who loves the horned look (yes, I know, the real Vikings didn't wear horned helmets, but it's so engrained in our minds that it's what we think a Viking should look like). I just love that horned look.

2. Rams. It's more than me liking horns. It's appreciating a classic look, despite the changes in colors.

3. Bengals. I loved those tiger stripes from the first time I saw this helmet.

The worst:

1. Jets. The logo is WAY too busy.

2. Ravens. All they would have to do is take the B off the side of the bird's head and this would be a great helmet. But that B just makes the helmet look stupid.

3. Browns. Yes, it's a classic and shouldn't be changed. But imagine a new team comes along with a colorish name (let's say, for example, the Los Angeles Blue Tide) and that team doesn't have a logo on its helmet. Imagine the outcry from us.

That's something I've never understood. Many of the "modernizers" and "updaters" around here scoff at anyone who dares utter the "T" word. God forbid you don't like the latest clown suit. But no one seems to mind that helmet logos are basically tradition too. There's no rule that says every helmet has to have a logo. (Is there?) I think it would be great if a new team, or even a current one decided to go without a logo on their helmet. All that should matter is whether or not the helmet looks good. If it looks better without a logo (like The Browns) so be it.

Amen!

[oldschoolvikings]

Best: Carolina. Suggestion: Panthers are black not silver. Helmet should be black. Rams: Simple and creative. Sugestion: I want to see them in throwback whites! Washington's spear. Suggestion: Make in permanent (I have one of the throwback jerseys - game worn. Awesome!!!).

OK: Jacksonville. Suggestion: Metallic gold. Jaguars are gold not black.

Worst: Cleveland. Please. do something! At least make the facemask white again.

Hmmm... how about putting Minnesota in a pale-flesh colored helmet? Vikings are pale-flesh colored, not purple!!!!!!

[wdm1219inpenna]

During the Eagles/Vikings playoff game that's on as I type this, I came across this thread and wanted to throw in my $72.43 worth of comments, since I can never stop at just 2 cents.

First, and in no particular order, why indeed was purple selected as a primary color for the Vikings? Or for that matter the Ravens? I guess one could question color selection for most teams.

An "old gold" helmet for the Jaguars, I'd dislike that. The head itself is gold in color, and it would blend in too much. I prefer the Jaguar head on the black helmet. Not too many other colors would work with that. The Panthers using a silver helmet never bothered me much. I'd be curious to see them use the tarheel blue as their helmet color, w/the yawning black cat on there.

I never noticed before about the Jets helmet from 1978 - 1997. When the helmet faces one way, the Jet is "flying" forward, but the other side it's flying backward. I'd love to see the team use the solid kelly green helmets using the more modern looking jet somehow. I had some prototypes that I did up, courtesy of paint, but my old computer died and I lost then. If time permits someday, I'll redo it.

On the topic at hand, of the current 32 NFL teams helmets that I like most, in no particular order...

Dallas Cowboys - a classic, even though I detest the team, Jerry Jones, and the royal blue numerals on the white jerseys, and the thickness of these numerals...

New York Giants - While I'm somewhat partial to the helmet that said "GIANTS" on it, this modern update is pretty nice. The "glittery" helmet look is ok, I'd rather it have been a more solid dark blue color, but still it's nice.

Pittsburgh Steelers - This is a classic among classics, especially the logo on only one side of the helmet. I suppose that's one reason why they added the logo patch on the uniform when they redesigned their uniforms about 13 or so years ago. I miss the good solid football block numerals they used on their uniforms, their current numerals seem too "wimpy" for a team named the STEELERS.

Green Bay Packers - Another legendary classic look.

Houston Texans - This is a rather pleasing and clever logo. As for it being "too big" for some people's liking, remember, EVERYTHING in Texas is BIG!!!

Indianapolis Colts - I don't pay a whole lot of attention to facemasks usually, but I would prefer them to use the blue ones over the grey. It's such a simplistically yet classic look. I wonder who came up w/the idea of putting the blue horseshoes on the helmet. It's awesome.

Denver Broncos - These are sleek, modern looking, and have been a classic already, in spite of being around only for 11 years now.

Oakland Raiders - This is another timeless classic, virtually unchanged since 1964. Their uniform set is also classic.

Atlanta Falcons - While I would prefer a red helmet, their current updated modernized falcon is really sleek and well done.

New Orleans Saints - The black outline around the fleur-de-lis (forgive my bad spelling) gives it a nicer and more classy lok.

Tampa Bay Bucs - This is without a doubt the best change/upgrade of a helmet/uniform/identity ever...although I am partial to the 70s, and do love the winkin' pirate dude w/the orange face, the current set is just outstanding in comparison.

The current helmets that I am semi-neutral, leaning on partially or slightly disliking...

New England Patriots - While I like that it's a "modernized" looking logo, I wish the face looked more realistic, like their previous logo, or like the Redskins logo has.

Miami Dolphins - The 1996 helmet version I thought was better. This current one seems a little too "cartoonish" for my liking.

New York Jets - Perhaps if the green weren't forest green, but rather kelly green, I'd take a greater shine to these "throwbacks". Also, I always preferred the Jets logo when it looked more like a football, and not a green oval.

Philadelphia Eagles - Again I prefer the Jaworski era, kelly green helmets. These that they wear now seem almost black, and I too dislike very much how the eagle wings are shaped toward the front of the helmet. The black outline is so/so, it always seemed somewhat ugly, but necessary.

Washington Redskins - I concur w/an earlier poster, I much prefer the toned down Redskin helmet over the "glitter" look. Football players' helmets should not be "glittery".

Chicago Bears - It's a classic. I don't know that I'd like the bear head on it, but it's somewhat bland. Classic, but bland.

Detroit Lions - I actually like the black outline around the lion body, but ditch the black facemask.

Carolina Panthers - It's ok, nothing out of this world, nothing terribly ugly, it's just kind of "there". That's how I felt about the Lions previous helmets too.

Kansas City Chiefs - Another classic, clever w/the arrowhead and the interlocking KC (which looks like the same font as the SF on the 49ers' helmets). The lack of gold on the helmet makes it neutral for me, but I know there's little they could do probably to spice it up.

San Diego Chargers - Many people seem to fall all over themselves w/the white helmet/powder blue unis. They are nice, but a yellow lightning bolt on a white helmet just doesn't look right. To me, I associate a bolt of lightning happening when it's dark, and the bolt stood out much better on the darker helmets. The 1974-87 helmets were my favorites.

Helmets of the current set that I detest:

Buffalo Bills - I've never warmed very much to when they went to the red helmet. Then they added the navy blue or midnight blue stripe. It's pretty bad. Sadly it seems the fine folks of Buffalo New York are leaving, and it seems the team is all but destined to head to Toronto eventually.

Baltimore Ravens - I admit, part of my hatred of them is the fact that they seem almost villainous. Part of it is due to Modell and the way everybody handled the Browns leaving after 1995. Part of it is the fact that I was a Giants fan during Super Bowl XXXV and the Giants got smoked 34-7 in that game, and part of it is the fact that I've never cared for Ray Lewis, going all the way back to Super BOwl XXXIII when he was allegedly in trouble. His image was so tainted in fact, that they didn't have him do the "I'm going to Disneyworld" commercial after he won MVP of Super Bowl XXXV. The "B" stuck in the Raven's head is really so semi-pro. I suppose the city is so afraid of the Ravens doing what the Cotls did, that they felt it necessary to "brand" the bird head w/the "B".

Cincinnati Bengals - In 1981, when they first changed, I thought it was so cool. Of course in 1981 I was 14 at the time too. Now I'm 3 times as old, and those helmets just are too crazy for me.

Cleveland Browns - These helmets have always been very blah, very bland, and while I understand the origin of the orange helmet for them, they are the BROWNS for crying out loud!!! The BROWNS!!!!!!!!! I would have prefered when they came back in 1999 that they adopted a new nickname, the Bulldogs. Since they have the Dog Pound there, and it would harken back to remember the Canton Bulldogs of the 1920s, it would have been awesome. It also would have been great too, as whenever they faced off against Cincinnati, they could say that it would be a game where they fought like "cats & dogs". They could have kept all the Browns history and records & stuff. As for their being named in honor of Paul Brown, the Bengals stadium is named for him. and he hadn't been associated w/the Browns for a very long time. The Bengals were his final "baby".

Tennessee Titans - I love that they kept and incorprated many of the former Houston Oiler colors. The flaming circle thing w/the "T" in it, just doesn't quite appeal to me. I too loved the white Houston Oiler helmets, and I still miss that they and the Steelers are no longer rivals. That was one of the best for many years.

Arizona Cardinals - I like the updated bird head, but the helmet is just....white. No stripes, no nothing. A bit too plain. I always felt that way, going all the way back to their days in St. Louis.

St. Louis Rams - Their current helmet, way too dark. The navy blue of the helmet seems darker/dingier, and I hate the "old gold" helmet horns. I miss the bright gold helmet horns that they had, and stood out much better. The current uniforms look even more blah and drab because they play in that horrific dome. I'd like to see them keep the current uniform set, but revert back to the former colors, I think that would look sensational. The previous uni set they had when winning Super Bowl XXXIV looked a bit dated I must admit.

Minnesota Vikings - I hate the glittery helmet look, and detest the attempt to make the Vikings horns look "3-dimensional". Give me the Jim Marshall looking helmets all the time!!!

San Francisco 49ers - I prefer the 80s look the best. Never really embraced the current helmet look.

Seattle Seahawks - Had they kept the same color scheme & helmet color w/this updated seahawk head, I think it would be much nicer. As it were, too much dark blue on dark blue, especially playing outdoors in that very dreary stadium. It's weird to think that the Kingdome actually seemed brighter than the current field they have.

Ok I'm done, I'll forego the "throwback" helmet breakdown for another time.

[Joshawaggie]

In summary:

Oldest helmets = the best

older helmets = ok

new helmets = bad

[BJBerthiaume]

I feel like a dog when I say this, but I like the shiny helmets. There are a few exceptions however.

Here are my favs:

Buccaneers

Browns

Colts

Vikings

Steelers

Eagles

[andrewharrington]

The Browns are the polar opposite of the Bengals. No uniqueness, completely boring. They are last place for me.

No uniqueness? The are the ONLY team without an extraneous logo on their helmet, the ONLY team with the color brown on their helmet and one of ONLY two teams with an orange helmet shell; if anything, they are the benchmark of all that is unique as far as NFL helmets go.

[lbr218]

Favorites: Eagles, Vikings, Chargers, Rams, Dolphins

Least favorites: Texans, 49ers, Chiefs

[Eye]

Here are my favorite NFL helmets in no particular order.

Bengals - Black on orange = kick ass. An awesome design.

Browns - Unique as hell. Orange helmets look great. Brown and orange work exceptionally well together. When teams put their helmets on, the logo is on the sides (or side) of the helmet, but when the Browns go to put their helmets on, they are actually holding the logo. By the way, I would not be opposed to the Browns actually having a logo (just not on their helmet.)

Eagles - The wings are iconic. Smooth design that I feel was improved when the Eagles changed their uniforms in 1996. I love that midnight green.

Seahawks - Wraparound seahawk. That is all.

[IceCap]

The Browns are the polar opposite of the Bengals. No uniqueness, completely boring. They are last place for me.

No uniqueness? The are the ONLY team without an extraneous logo on their helmet,

Ah yes, the graphic that presents the team's identity to the world. Those logos sure are extraneous.

if anything, they are the benchmark of all that is unique as far as NFL helmets go.

There's traditional, and then there's old. The Browns helmet is a tired relic from the days before logos on helmets became the norm.

It's sort of like the grey facemask argument. Now that we have the technology to put a logo on there, why keep it blank?

Someone needs to tell the Browns they're playing in the pros, not the NCAA.

[ferrousoxide66]

The Browns are the polar opposite of the Bengals. No uniqueness, completely boring. They are last place for me.

No uniqueness? The are the ONLY team without an extraneous logo on their helmet,

Ah yes, the graphic that presents the team's identity to the world. Those logos sure are extraneous.

if anything, they are the benchmark of all that is unique as far as NFL helmets go.

There's traditional, and then there's old. The Browns helmet is a tired relic from the days before logos on helmets became the norm.

It's sort of like the grey facemask argument. Now that we have the technology to put a logo on there, why keep it blank?

Someone needs to tell the Browns they're playing in the pros, not the NCAA.

Considering the team name, applying a logo willy-nilly on the helmet ain't that easy. What are you going to use, a contrived redo of the "CB" logo? A ridiculous bulldog head? Or how about the old Brownie elf? (that's probably not so bad).

Frankly, if you absolutely had to have something on the helmet, i'd go for Alabama-style player numbers.

[IceCap]

The Browns are the polar opposite of the Bengals. No uniqueness, completely boring. They are last place for me.

No uniqueness? The are the ONLY team without an extraneous logo on their helmet,

Ah yes, the graphic that presents the team's identity to the world. Those logos sure are extraneous.

if anything, they are the benchmark of all that is unique as far as NFL helmets go.

There's traditional, and then there's old. The Browns helmet is a tired relic from the days before logos on helmets became the norm.

It's sort of like the grey facemask argument. Now that we have the technology to put a logo on there, why keep it blank?

Someone needs to tell the Browns they're playing in the pros, not the NCAA.

Considering the team name, applying a logo willy-nilly on the helmet ain't that easy. What are you going to use, a contrived redo of the "CB" logo? A ridiculous bulldog head? Or how about the old Brownie elf? (that's probably not so bad).

Frankly, if you absolutely had to have something on the helmet, i'd go for Alabama-style player numbers.

[ferrousoxide66]

The Browns are the polar opposite of the Bengals. No uniqueness, completely boring. They are last place for me.

No uniqueness? The are the ONLY team without an extraneous logo on their helmet,

Ah yes, the graphic that presents the team's identity to the world. Those logos sure are extraneous.

if anything, they are the benchmark of all that is unique as far as NFL helmets go.

There's traditional, and then there's old. The Browns helmet is a tired relic from the days before logos on helmets became the norm.

It's sort of like the grey facemask argument. Now that we have the technology to put a logo on there, why keep it blank?

Someone needs to tell the Browns they're playing in the pros, not the NCAA.

Considering the team name, applying a logo willy-nilly on the helmet ain't that easy. What are you going to use, a contrived redo of the "CB" logo? A ridiculous bulldog head? Or how about the old Brownie elf? (that's probably not so bad).

Frankly, if you absolutely had to have something on the helmet, i'd go for Alabama-style player numbers.

Phew. Stick with the blank if that's the best you're gonna get.

[IceCap]

The Browns are the polar opposite of the Bengals. No uniqueness, completely boring. They are last place for me.

No uniqueness? The are the ONLY team without an extraneous logo on their helmet,

Ah yes, the graphic that presents the team's identity to the world. Those logos sure are extraneous.

if anything, they are the benchmark of all that is unique as far as NFL helmets go.

There's traditional, and then there's old. The Browns helmet is a tired relic from the days before logos on helmets became the norm.

It's sort of like the grey facemask argument. Now that we have the technology to put a logo on there, why keep it blank?

Someone needs to tell the Browns they're playing in the pros, not the NCAA.

Considering the team name, applying a logo willy-nilly on the helmet ain't that easy. What are you going to use, a contrived redo of the "CB" logo? A ridiculous bulldog head? Or how about the old Brownie elf? (that's probably not so bad).

Frankly, if you absolutely had to have something on the helmet, i'd go for Alabama-style player numbers.

Phew. Stick with the blank if that's the best you're gonna get.

JMO but I think that logo's perfect for the Browns.