When the Browns take the field this Sunday for their 1:00 pm (ET) home game with the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, they’ll do so in their “1946” fauxback uniforms. It will be the second time this season, and fifth time overall, that the Browns will wear the all-white uniforms.
The NFL removed the one-shell rule back in 2022, allowing teams to have a second, alternate shell — this allowed teams whose throwbacks had a different color shell the ability to wear them again (so, teams like the Buccaneers and Patriots were able to reintroduce their popular Bucco Bruce and Pat Patriots unis). Of course, it also opened up a Pandora’s box since the second (and now in some cases third) shell wasn’t required to be worn as part of a throwback. It was the ultimate “be careful what you wish for” moment.
The Browns didn’t take advantage of the second shell in 2022, but did so last year. The Browns had actually worn their 1946 uniforms prior to the single shell rule being removed, and they paired those with their primary orange shells. But in order to more closely resemble the 1946 uniform, they adopted the white shell last season. It wasn’t an exact match, but it was closer to the original than when worn with the orange buckets.
The Browns wore those fauxbacks the maximum number of times allowed — three — in 2023. Interestingly, they actually debuted their new white helmets on the road, in Pittsburgh. I don’t have stats on when new alternate uniforms have made their debut for a road games, but it can’t be too many. The other two wearings in 2023 were home games.
The Browns also wore the 1946’s once earlier this season, another road game. As you’ll see below, the team is currently 2-2 while sporting the all-whites. Both victories have been home games, both losses have come on the road. They’ll be home this Sunday against the Chiefs, so that may put their perfect 2-0 record in the alternates in Cleveland on the line.
Here’s a look at the four other times the white helmets have been worn, against whom, and final score:
The Browns debuted the all white fauxback on September 18, 2023, on the road against the Steelers. They’d lose their inaugural game in the white helmets.
Steelers 26 – Browns 22
The team would wear the fauxbacks a few weeks later, against the 49ers. This was the home debut for the uniform, and the Browns were victorious.
Browns 19 – 49ers 17
The Browns wore the all-whites a third and final time in 2023 against the Jets. This was another home game and the Browns won.
Browns 37 – Jets 20
This season, the Browns wore their 1946’s in Week 4, on the road in Las Vegas, falling to the Raiders.
Raiders 20 – Browns 16
I thought it was fun when the Browns wore the 1946 uniforms (with an orange helmet) to celebrate the Browns 75th Anniversary in 2021. That was the ultimate franken-uni. When they added the white helmet last year, they somewhat inexplicably added stripes, which the team did not wear on the helmet — thereby creating another fauxback. Had they simply worn a blank white shell, it would have been a much more accurate match for the Browns original uniform. I think the helmet looks better with the striping — but it’s not accurate to what was worn in 1946.
Will the Browns wear this fauxback a third time in 2024? It’s possible. According to the GUD, the Browns have a home game (so far penciled in as the Sunday Night Football matchup) against the Dolphins in Week 17 (December 29, 2024), for which neither team has yet revealed uniforms. The Browns’ other remaining games will all have the team in their regular orange helmets.
What are your thoughts on the all-white alternate/fauxback?
Chronically depressed Browns fan here.
I tend to think, if your logo is an orange helmet, you should go out there wearing an orange helmet.
A friend of mine from Pittsburgh (booooo) compared the all-white look to white-chocolate Reese’s. Now I can’t unsee it. I hate it when Steelers fans are right!
Now I like most white-over-white sets as much as the next guy/gal…but without the pumpkin head, these are less than appealing (though accurate-ish).
Which is why the Browns should go ahead and make Brownie the Elf their logo. Can keep the plain orange helmets (my preference would be to put uni numbers on them), but go ahead and make Brownie the logo.
Yeah, anything but that stupid dog head.
I agree that wouldn’t work on the helmet, but do not speak ill of Todd Radom’s creation, which was based on his own pup, Casey!
Is there any rule on a team changing its logo? The browns desperately need to change it. I like the elf a lot, but almost anything is better than the helmet.
Look like an inverted color version of the Packers whiteout
I love the 1946 photo you selected, and it makes one wonder at what everyone is intently looking upward. We know it’s not a scoreboard replay, so maybe it’s a morphed Brownie walking into the stadium.
I’m good with the Browns’ all-white kits, even with the added stripes to the helmet. But, yeah, their look with the numbered orange helmets in ’21 was definitely franken-esque.
Take note Green Bay, this is how you do an all-white alternative! ( they got the helmet stripes correct and sock stripes too!
But…..the helmet and pants stripes don’t match at all.
I like them. Perhaps the Browns should make these the full-time road uni. Though, and I am nitpicking here, the hem stripe pattern should be the same as that on the helmet.
The Browns having a helmet as their logo reminds me of the 70’s and 80′ White Sox who had “SOX” on their jerseys. Critics wondered if they might someday add “JERSEYS” to their socks, “PANTS” to their hats, and “GLOVES” to their bats.