ESPN NFL Helmet Power Rankings

[Lights Out]

Is Green Bay's helmet green?

No, but IMO, it should be. It's the same reason why I hate the Red Sox's road uniform or Syracuse football's navy primary uniforms. If you're going to name your team after a color, then you'd better make sure that color is used as much as possible.

[oldschoolvikings]

Based solely on looks & design, NOT TRADITION:

1. Rams

2. Eagles

3. Broncos

4. Buccaneers

5. Chargers

------------

28. Ravens

29. Bengals

30. Titans

31. Steelers

32. Browns

somebody got issues with the AFC North?

Surprised? He's got issues with the Browns and that's a fact haha I'm not sure how anyone could hate a 5 win team but he's been badmouthing them on here for years...

My rankings have nothing to do with wins or losses. The Browns come in last because they put no effort into their lids. Generic brown & white stripes on a plain orange helmet. Where's the originality in that? The gray facemask also ruins it for me. Some teams are just better off not playing the "retro game". Cleveland is definitely one of them.

Yeah, where's the originality in being the only NFL team wearing a blank helmet?

Oh, wait...

It's got nothing to do with being original. The Browns have a plain/boring helmet because they got left in the dust back in the 50s-60s. Too lazy to come up with a logo of their own, I suppose.

YOU'RE the one who said it was unoriginal in your own post.

[vmd9]

Is Green Bay's helmet green?

No, but IMO, it should be. It's the same reason why I hate the Red Sox's road uniform or Syracuse football's navy primary uniforms. If you're going to name your team after a color, then you'd better make sure that color is used as much as possible.

So apparently you don't know that Paul Brown was actually a football coach that started the Browns and not a color? do some research man

[Lights Out]

I'm well aware but that doesn't change the fact that a name like "Browns" really restricts your color opportunities. They might as well make the most of it.

And once again, you're being a condescending d-bag. Cut it out.

[Quillz]

You know, for some reason, I've never been a big fan of white helmets. Something about it just looks so "generic" to me. I've often wished that teams that used white helmets would make them another color.

[october23sp]

So it's because a T looks like a thumbtack? That's why it sucks? Even though it's clearly a T?

I can't speak for WideRight, but why do you consider the "Titans have the best helmet IMO."? There's 32 NFL helmets...some creative, some rather boring, yet you consider the Titans out of all of them to be the best. How come?

I like the flaming T design. I like how the blue pops on the white helmet. I can see why it might not be a favorite for some, but why is it always considered THE WORST? I also like the two short stripes that go back, it's a really original and modern design that doesn't go too far in being modern a la the fake Nike Pro-combats.

[vmd9]

You know, for some reason, I've never been a big fan of white helmets. Something about it just looks so "generic" to me. I've often wished that teams that used white helmets would make them another color.

I think for most teams now in the NFL it works. Only a handful have them, and teams like the cardinals,dolphins, and jets would look weird with anything else. The Bills kind of bother me switching to white because the jets and dolphins both do, and the patriots have silver. It's going to be strange seeing so many white/white helmet matchups and the pats silver is darker but still can look very similar. Also for teams like Buffalo and SD that have used colored helmets for so long, it's strange to get used to the white again. Similar to college when teams like Minnesota and USF wear white it can look out of place and generic compared to their normal helmets.

I'd love to see alternate helmets in the NFL (not throwback) like in college. I know the have rules against it, but seahawks blue and silver would have been cool and other stuff like red/black Falcons.

[Jungle Jim]

The Browns come in last because they put no effort into their lids. Generic brown & white stripes on a plain orange helmet. Where's the originality in that?

Yet you include the Bengals, one of the most original teams in the league, at the bottom of your rankings. Apparently originality scores no points with you, either?

[Dedalvs]

You know, for some reason, I've never been a big fan of white helmets. Something about it just looks so "generic" to me. I've often wished that teams that used white helmets would make them another color.

I think what you may be reacting to is white being used as the "default" color (e.g. like a white home jersey in the NBA or a gray road jersey in baseball). If that's the case, I can certainly understand, though I've always thought of gray as the "default" helmet color in the NFL (with black coming in a close second)*. I found the Cardinals', Oilers'/Titans', Colts' and Dolphins' helmets unique because they were white. I wasn't a big fan of the Jets' change back to a white helmet because it made a white helmet in general less unique, and if the Bills are really going to white (have they released that info anywhere? Did I miss it?), I agree that that division will be a little crowded?and white will start to look more and more like a "default" color. Which is too bad. I think the Cardinals' white helmet set off against their deep red uniforms is a great look?one of the best in the league.

* I recognize that numbers don't really back me up here, as only four helmets, I think, are currently gray/silver. So be it. Anyone else get the sense that gray is the default, though?

[Riatt]

Is Green Bay's helmet green?

No, but IMO, it should be. It's the same reason why I hate the Red Sox's road uniform or Syracuse football's navy primary uniforms. If you're going to name your team after a color, then you'd better make sure that color is used as much as possible.

At least with Green Bay it's the city name, not the team name, so that's excusable.

[WideRight]

I am going to try to remember what I put in the top 5 and bottom 5 on ESPN's poll. We'll see if there is a trend.

BEST

1. Eagles

2. Rams

3. Seahawks

4. Bengals

5. Broncos

So, basically, I want a team to use the whole helmet, and to incorporate the team identity in some way (tiger stripes, eagle wings, ram horns) or have a logo that clearly moves from back of the helmet to front in a dynamic way (Seahawks, Broncos).

I guess this is why I like the USFL logos of the Breakers, Panthers and Bulls so much. I like the use of the space to incorporate the idea of the team, or motion, not just a static shield or round logo like on an NHL Jersey (where it is appropriate to face "forward" not to the side, like on a helmet.)

WORST

5. Bears -- Is it stolen from the Cinci Reds or vice versa? Don't really care. Why no bear?

4. Packers -- Classic, and with "Packers" there is not much you could do, but it isn't a great helmet.

3. Giants -- I like the NY more than the old "Giants", but not by much. Another old-school yawnfest.

2. Jets -- You have a great, dynamic nickname and that is the best you can do for a helmet logo? Sad.

1. Browns --I get it, tradition, but tradition can be very, very boring (Looking at you Paterno!!!!)

Yup, that is right, I hate city initials as the defining logo on the helmet. Team names (green Jets helmet, U. of Illinois helmet) are almost as bad. The Chiefs are spared because they use the arrowhead. San Fran is spared because the copper helmets are just a good look, but mostly I find these boring beyond belief.

I am no lover of all things modern (Hate U. of Oregon, U. of Miami, etc.) but I also think that many of the traditional looks are just horribly boring. Cannot stand Penn State, Alabama, Notre Dame. They just bore me.

I get it with colleges, and even some NFL teams, you just cannot change them, but that does not make them good

design or interesting helmets. It just makes them old. And when the team has a great name but fails to use a great logo to go with it (Hello Jets & Bears) it is just a waste.

Give me most USFL helmets over most NFL teams older than 1960 any day.