helmet stripes

[Tygers09]

Is it me or are more teams going without the helmet stripe? Yes there are some teams that have stripes that taper into a point (i.e. Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos) or end only 3/4 on the length of the helmet (Carolina Panthers). Is it because the newer helmets are designed for more safety and no space for the stripe(s)or is this just a fad and eventually the classic stripe will make a comeback later on?

[andrewharrington]

I think it's just you. I haven't seen a noticeable trend either way.

[Punch]

There are still plenty of helmets with the classic stripe. It's not like it's a new fad, because only 3 or 4 teams use it. I'm pretty sure the teams currently using the tapered stripe won't change it for some time, but I could be wrong.

[BBTV]

I just took a quick look at all of the helmet changes that I can remember over the past 8 or 9 years (came up with 8 of them) and none that had stripes lost them, and none that didn't have stripes gained them.

Houston came in to the league sans stripes, Denver lost their "traditional stripe" in favor of the dumb pointy thing in '98, and Tennessee did the same in '99. I can't think of a traditionally striped team that lost them all together.

I think it's in your head.

[Hat Boy]

Is it me or are more teams going without the helmet stripe?

I think you could have made that argument in the '90s. The expansion Jaguars and Panthers went without a traditional stripe. "New" teams (Titans and Ravens) went with the helmet spikes. Teams that had makeovers went non-traditional (Broncos) or dropped stripes all together (Falcons, Patriots, Buccaneers).

Since then, most teams have that have re-designed have stuck with a variation of what they had before.

[BBTV]

Yes, if you want to go back that far, I guess the Falcons, Patriots, and Bucs would have to count as teams that dropped their stripes.

[elsephen]

I like the no-stripes in most cases. There are others where the striped helmets tie in really well though. Mostly for the classic unis.

The modern, like the Titans need to just drop the stripes. Or spikes... whatever they are. And only go 1 solid on the pants. Doesn't match up at all.

[oddball]

Uh, wouldn't Buffalo adding millions of stripes kind of counter act this theory, to a point? Just thought I'd throw that out there, but yeah, it is a trend, but will probably reverse itself sometime in the future.

[Sabrejeff]

Uh, wouldn't Buffalo adding millions of stripes kind of counter act this theory, to a point? Just thought I'd throw that out there, but yeah, it is a trend, but will probably reverse itself sometime in the future.

That's a good point. Both Buffalo and Miami went from 5 stripes to 7 stripes.