Jaguars new helmets, simple question....Why ?

[seahawk9]

They add nothing to the overall look. Looks like they just forgot to paint the rest of the helmets. If anything, why not a gradual fade of colors rather than the hard line fade and maybe a different angle. Just paint the helmets either gold or black and be done with it. Trying way too hard to be different..........................................

[mattb6]

Agree. They look terrible on television and when you see a front view of a guy, its a black helmet, but when you see the back view it looks entirely gold.

[phutmasterflex]

Already discussed this when they debuted this months ago. Good idea, bad execution

[oldschoolvikings]

Why? They thought they'd be cutting edge, that there would be no other design like them in football, and that they'd get some people talking about the uniform and the team. And, you know what? Pretty much all true.

The fact that they look ridiculous is, I guess, secondary (and I'm sure the Jags would say, also a matter of opinion).

You know what? Even if the design is so roundly ridiculed that they need to raise the white flag on them in a year of two, all the above will still be true. I think its the same as the toilet-seat collars. Most teams dropped them, but for a year, they got a lot of milage out of the discussion, and the whole idea of "flywire."

[oldschoolvikings]

The view from above seems especially stupid.

[phutmasterflex]

From the front with the matte black part, it looks totally fine. But the gold creeping in changes everything. Especially from behind, it just looks like it doesn't belong -- especially if there's a pile up

[BBTV]

A top bottom gradient would have at least provided for some uniformity in photos, but no gradient would have been the better solution.

[hawk36]

The view from above seems especially stupid.

If you remove the guy in the 4point stance, this is a great looking uniform matchup. Hey Jags, want to be revolutionary? Change right now to all black helmets and take the fines from the NFL for doing so. Make the excuse that the gold wasn't holding up and needed to be removed.

[Gothamite]

I still say they could switch to black with gold flake, similar to the previous helmet, with minimal penalty from the league.

This is the official graphic for their helmet:

That would work for gold flake.

[eliasrappaport]

Just make them gold. Looks great with all black and then gold helmets.

[TruColor]

...actually, this is the official helmet graphic:

However, they use this one for the 3-D version:

[vmd9]

The Jaguars seem to be a team that wants to be different. They have very little history and very little fanbase. They needed to do something to be relevant and stand out. Unfortunately because of this we're stuck with those awful helmets. I doubt Nike was very happy with the helmet idea, but the client gets what they want.

The confusing part is that in the NFL do the helmets really matter? Jerseys are sold, so that design is very important. In college the idea of flashy helmets came around to excite recruits. NFL players go to the teams that draft them, or pay them the most money. No NFL player is going to a team because of the helmets and fans aren't going to games to see the helmet.

[Puckguy14]

...actually, this is the official helmet graphic:

However, they use this one for the 3-D version:

That helmet 3d effect (not the design itself) is beautiful.

[Gothamite]

Helmets are important not because they sell them, although they do, but because helmet graphics themselves are used as logos, on merchandise and in the media.

...actually, this is the official helmet graphic:

Whoops - that's what I get for trusting the mothership.

That looks even more like gold flake.

[habsfan1]

...actually, this is the official helmet graphic:

It's not the gradient that's the problem with the Jaguars helmet. It's the harsh cut-off line between the black and gold. It looks like 2 helmets were sawed in half, swapped, and glued together.

If only the gradient was smooth like in Colorwerx's graphic, a lot less people would be complaining.

[rich7sena]

I really don't like to partake in the hyperbole that often happens on internet forums, but the Jaguars helmets (and uniform) are a special case. I'd agree a simple fix would be to make the whole helmet matte black, but I'd actually prefer it be all gold without a stripe. I know that would be unlikely considering the logo is predominately gold, but I really think it would be a handsome look. Another option would be something like what Nike did with Navy a few years ago for their Pro Combat jerseys.

Whatever the change is, there clearly has to be one.

[oldschoolvikings]

The Jaguars seem to be a team that wants to be different. They have very little history and very little fanbase. They needed to do something to be relevant and stand out. Unfortunately because of this we're stuck with those awful helmets. I doubt Nike was very happy with the helmet idea, but the client gets what they want.

The confusing part is that in the NFL do the helmets really matter? Jerseys are sold, so that design is very important. In college the idea of flashy helmets came around to excite recruits. NFL players go to the teams that draft them, or pay them the most money. No NFL player is going to a team because of the helmets and fans aren't going to games to see the helmet.

What makes you think that?

[wonderbread]

The problem i have with the helmet is that it has two different finishes, a flat black will never look good with a high gloss gold, and the fact that it is in a gradiant makes it look unfinished where they ran out of gold paint to cover a matte black helmet

[hbgoo1975]

Can anyone fix up the gameday pics with photoshop? I would like to see how the Jags would look with all gold and all black helmets.

[Jungle Jim]

As bad as the Jaguars helmets are, and I dislike them as much as the next guy, they may not be a complete failure on the marketing front. My 10-year-old son is just starting to collect mini helmets, and guess which one he picked for the third member of his collection. Yep, the Jaguars. Even after I contributed my two cents to the decision, that's the one he wanted. I know he's a kid and kids don't always have the best taste, but those of us with good taste aren't the only ones buying merchandise.