The Difference a Facemask Can Make

[rtrich11 72]

I always liked this old-school cage. No frills and a lot of exposure. You could always see the players face. It was only briefly popular with running backs before they started using the model with two bars across the middle.

[Greg_Fryman 24]

I always liked this old-school cage. No frills and a lot of exposure. You could always see the players face. It was only briefly popular with running backs before they started using the model with two bars across the middle.

Thurman Thomas came to mind as soon as I seen this. Love this look as well.

[lancealot 84]

Me too. This on the other hand, I have yet to get used to

I may be just a goofy, young high school kid with no sense of "the past", but this is my favorite facemask. Ever. And you would not believe how comfortable the helmet itself is.

I agree with you that the helmet is very comfortable (even with the regular pads inside) but I prefer (and wear) the mask on the Cleveland speed posted above

[Lights Out 4,469]

I don't really care that much about facemask design, but I do think Justin Tuck's facemask is badass, especially with the visor:

[phutmasterflex 1,043]

I don't really care that much about facemask design, but I do think Justin Tuck's facemask is badass, especially with the visor:

[DrizzyDrew1523 11]

I was thinking more Optimus Prime.

[Harmening 210]

I always liked this old-school cage. No frills and a lot of exposure. You could always see the players face. It was only briefly popular with running backs before they started using the model with two bars across the middle.

Thurman Thomas came to mind as soon as I seen this. Love this look as well.

Didn't Thomas have the two bars across the middle?

When I see this one, I think of Harris, like above, and John Riggins.

[MinnyGal9 0]

He used that facemask which I think it looked the best on him (like a true RB) until sometime in the 2011 season.

However he wore this for a very brief time

Then wore a facemask that's not common for running backs, he started wearing it in the middle of 2011 season before the ACL/MCL injury.

Despite that, he went on and ran like a true MVP, nearly broke the NFL record. Still don't like that on him, though.

[ksupilot 38]

I thought the Peyton Hillis mask was pretty cool. He probably should have worn the Tuck-style mask though, would have kept those strep germs out.

[Jungle Jim 837]

Did anyone besides that wimpy guy Larry Csonka have the loop thing on the front of their helmets?

[AgentColon 82]

My least favorite:

IMO this is by far the worst mask. For most teams the color never even matched properly. The gray was too dark or the gold was too orangey.

[BrandMooreArt 3,762]

does it bother anyone else when a player wears a mask thats unconventional for his position? like AP now wearing that 2 bar mask, one that has been popular with QBs and WRs in the past. for me i think it comes back to proportion and space. not just how it looks on the helmet, but because AP is such a big, beefy dude (6 ft, 215???) i think the mask he used to wear suits his build (and position) better.

in the case of Philip Wheeler, his build is fairly good for this mask (one i listed as one of my favorites), but his position (LB) makes it seem really odd and drives me nuts

[njmeadowlanders 162]

For me it's the (by now) old conventional Riddell QB face mask that looks the best:

That's the face mask I think of when I think "football helmet".

It also works in 2D:

[Joshawaggie 142]

It looks weird to see Peyton in a "regular" helmet:

But at the same time, i'm still not completely used to his derpy style:

[oldschoolvikings 16,851]

Could they stand just a little closer?

[Jungle Jim 837]

For me it's the (by now) old conventional Riddell QB face mask that looks the best:

That's the face mask I think of when I think "football helmet".

Yep, that's the Riddell Z2B mask and it's the one they use on the full size replica and authentic helmets and also the mini helmets.

My least favorite:

IMO this is by far the worst mask. For most teams the color never even matched properly. The gray was too dark or the gold was too orangey.

I never liked this one, either. The first Riddell mini helmets and full-size replica helmets used a version of this mask, and they don't sell for as much on ebay as the ones with the Z2B masks.

[mattb6 679]

These are weird ones

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh551/mattberning61/d8801059-7d80-48c5-86e7-a4ed10b0461b_zps7bd7781f.jpg

http://i1251.photobucket.com/albums/hh551/mattberning61/7253ef79-4b9d-4964-92b7-d8cf613495cf_zps1cab566f.jpg

[A_J_H 16]

This facemask is the best to my option, it fits not just the players, but also it's design for only Running Backs!

[John in KY 9]

I always liked this old-school cage. No frills and a lot of exposure. You could always see the players face. It was only briefly popular with running backs before they started using the model with two bars across the middle.

It all depends on the year - Schutt didn't start doing the facemasks with two bars across the middle until 1981. Everyone who wore that style mask from the 1960s until 1980 wore one like Franco's here; and of course some people continued to wear that older style for a few years after the new-style with two bars came out.

[rtrich11 72]

My least favorite:

IMO this is by far the worst mask. For most teams the color never even matched properly. The gray was too dark or the gold was too orangey.

This one isn't great, but it doesn't bother me too much. It was light, and as an added bonus, you could dice vegetables with it.