As I reported yesterday, the Browns are expected to announce next Wednesday, April 17, that they’re officially changing the facemask on their orange primary helmet from brown to white. Since the team’s primary logo is just a depiction of the orange helmet, that will be updated to reflect the facemask color change.
But now it appears that the team’s white alternate helmet, which was introduced last year, may also be getting a new cage color. As you can see in the photo shown above, the helmet had a brown mask last year. But Browns defensive back Juan Thornhill just appeared in a new TikTok video wearing the white helmet with a white mask and then referred to it on Twitter as “game mode”:
Had to get in game mode😂 https://t.co/9XychlcUli
— The Chosen Juan👑🙇🏽♂️ (@Juan_Thornhill) April 10, 2024
Does that mean they’re definitely changing the white helmet’s mask? We’ll find out in a week!
I’m all in favor of the white mask on the orange helmet and am glad they’re making that move. But for the white helmet, I kinda liked the contrast that the brown mask provided. If they are indeed making this change to the alternate lid, I’m not so sure I’d view that as an upgrade.
(My thanks to our own Alex Hider for letting me know about this one.)
If it was a true throwback, I’d say go white or gray, which seem more era appropriate even though this uniform was pre facemask. But since it already has helmet stripes, it is more a throwback inspired alternate than a true throwback, and in that case I think the brown facemask on the white helmet looks better.
But I am 100% behind the white facemask on the orange helmet.
That’s not what needs to be changed on the white helmet – get the stripes right! It drives me absolutely nuts that the stripes on the helmet and the stripes on the pants are reversed.
been saying that since Day 1. It’s like the designed the helmet separately from the rest of the uniform
100% agreed — and given Paul’s interview with former Nike art director Tom Andrich, it’s probably true that the helmet and the uniform were designed independent of each other.
But it isn’t the helmet stripes that need to be changed, it is the pant stripes. The helmet, jersey, and socks are all brown exterior, orange interior. The pants are messed up with orange exterior, brown interior.
I think you could argue for both combos, Greg. The socks and sleeve stripes are both 5-stripe. Remove the outer 4th and 5th stripes and you get orange-brown-orange, remove the first 2 stripes sequentially and you get brown-orange-brown. The numbers are brown interior and orange exterior. Personally I could go either way…I just want them to f@c&ing match
If the only reason is, consistency for the players and simplifying the equipment managers’ duties, it might be deemed lame and lazy. But the primary is the orange helmet, and the white is the wacky alternate (albeit with some historical precedent). Let the alternate yield. It’s either a good move or a lateral move IMO
Maybe they should go with an orange mask with this helmet?
We know the BC Lions rocked that well when wearing this helmet in their orange and brown era!
link
Seriously though, Cleveland needs to stick with the brown mask with the white helmet.
Ed Ulinski of the Browns from 1948 wearing a face mask in the AAFC Championship game. It appears to be of a dark color. This would demonstrate historical support for a brown mask for their “throwback/fauxback” uniform.
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The 1946 throwback uniforms are true throwbacks (if dressed with black cleats). The helmets need to strive for near-throwback/full-throwback status: i.e., no helmet striping and white or grey facemask unless helmet historians can agree on the Ed Ulinski’s protective equipment (grey vs. amber vs. other).
White face masks sucks on both helmets, not a fan
Leave it as is please! The brown is unique and creates a coordinating contrast. It also looks more aggressive.
Brown on the white helmet looks better but I do not mind white. On the orange helmet white is OK with me as well, better than brown. Grey on both helmets still feels the best, somehow. It looks good.