A little less than two weeks ago, I shared a report by FanDuel’s Zach Cohen, who noted two of the league’s more traditional and long standing franchises — the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns — will be adding new helmets next season.
Cohen is back with what he claims is another major scoop: the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Chargers will also be adding new helmets for the 2025 NFL season.
🚨 I can confirm 2 more teams to get new alt helmets this offseason: the Chargers & Saints!
So far I’ve reported them, Browns & Steelers
Details & proof of credibility are once again in the thread & video… as well as my excitement for these lol
Working to confirm more soon👇 pic.twitter.com/gAMrk3gR4M
— Zach Cohen (@ZachCohenFB) February 11, 2025
Once again, as was the case with the Steelers and Browns, “new helmets” doesn’t necessarily mean a new color shell. A new helmet would also simply include new helmet decals or changes to facemask colors.
In his video, Cohen actually does a very good job of showing concepts of possible new helmets for both teams.
With regard to the Saints, the team already has two different helmet shells: their current gold shell, which they pair with their primary uniforms, and a black alternate shell, which the team has paired with their white color rush fauxbacks. Cohen offers three possible alternates: a new gold shell to better match the gold shade used on their throwbacks, a tweaked black shell to match the 1969 black helmets, which were worn only for preseason games, and a new white shell (ugh).
Of the three, I think a throwback gold shell with a new shade of gold is possible, but more likely, I could see the team modifying the existing black alternate shell to look like the 1969 helmet, which would look something like this:
Normally, I’d scoff at the idea of the Saints adding a white shell, but after seeing the flood of new white helmets this past season, I wouldn’t completely rule it out.
Likewise Cohen runs through a host of possibilities for the Chargers. Back in November, I wrote about the possibility of the Chargers adding a new navy blue helmet, which they could then pair with their navy blue alternates. I still think this is a very good possibility.
Since the Chargers dumped their royal blue alternates this past season, it’s hard to imagine them introducing a new royal shell (a possibility mentioned by Cohen), and the gold shell he also mentions seems like a very far-fetched possibility.
When the NFL lifted the single-shell rule for the 2022 season, we cautioned it was a “be careful what you wish for” moment — and indeed, I’d venture that most of the new alternate shells have been introduced “because they can.” But the rescission of the one shell restriction has also allowed for new or formerly-mothballed throwbacks, like Pat Patriot and Bucco Bruce, and also for new throwbacks, like those for the Seahawks, Eagles and Broncos. So it’s definitely a double-edged sword there.
We probably won’t know about any new helmets until after the NFL draft. Based on how the NFL has operated the past few years, teams getting redesigns (like the Jets, Texans, Lions and Broncos last year) unveil those before the draft. Teams who are adding one new design or element (Commanders or Bengals new pants, or the Vikings “Winter Warrior” alternate) are shown after the draft, and teams simply adding a new shell are generally unveiled in the summer months.
Of any of the possible “new” helmets either team could introduce, I’d be happy if the Saints simply dump the decaling on their black shells, and add the 1969 preseason decals. However, if fix involves fixing the gold shade — which would dovetail nicely with a full redesign using the current throwbacks and fauxbacks as the basis for new uniforms — that would be even better.
As far as the Chargers? I do fully expect them to introduce a navy blue shell (which could not only be paired with their all-navy alternates, but also as the basis for a throwback as well).
The last thing I want to see would be a white alternate shell for the Saints (just imagine them adding a white helmet to pair with their preferred road look). While in theory I think a gold alternate cap for the Chargers could possibly look good, I’d rather they not even consider it. A new alternate navy shell makes too much sense anyway.
What say you? If either team were to get a new alternate helmet, what would you prefer to see?
I just want the Saints to go back to wearing their gold pants primarily.
And striped socks.
Bring back the Dalton Hilliard unis and all would be well in Nawlins. -C.
link
I think the current numbering style and fleur-de-lis logo are far superior to the Hilliard era. But the Saints should always play in black or white jerseys over gold pants, as in that era.
Absolutely, Positively. 100%. The Saints’ Black leotards and White practice pants are the bane of my uni existence.
While we’re at it, let’s adopt a good, darker shade of matchable Old Fold that adequately contrasts with White jerseys, and allows for Gold numerals on either White or Black jerseys. And can we please ditch the current Louis Vuitton helmet striping on the Black helmets?
Let’s outfit the Saints in NFL worthy uniforms, Please?
You really never see established, confident NFL teams dressing like 90 pound playground teams. You don’t see the Packers in Green leotards. You don’t see the Cowboys in stripeless Navy leotards.
Add some contrast and detail to the socks. Enough already!
link
;)
Don’t we all…………… And all the other teams to get rid of the mono crap. The NFL now stands for the Not Fucking Look-good league.
Assuming this is legit I would assume it will be a white helmet for the Saints and a navy helmet for the Chargers.
This may have been discussed last time he had a “reveal” but is there a good reason to believe he would have special insider info on this? The nature of his post feels more click bait to me and less credible releasing insider info.
He’s definitely NOT an insider, but he has a pretty good track record.
FWIW, I have no insider information, and I’ve been thinking the Chargers (navy blue) and Saints (revamped black helmet) have had these in the works — I linked to two posts I wrote last year giving both of those as possible future options. Will they happen? Unless there is a legit leak, we won’t know until probably the summer.
And just out of curiosity, Greg, why would you assume it’s a white helmet for the Saints? (Other than the fact that apparently the NFL wouldn’t mind if every team has an alternate white shell).
I guess my assumption is the Saints won’t bother to fix / adjust their gold or black helmets, and so the only logical answer is they’ll go white.
Low expectations on my part when considering the mono white trend and what seems like teams / Nike not really interested in making the little fixes / tweaks that would make uniforms better. I guess I’ve just been broken with uniform news lately that I assume the worst?
For the Saints, I’d like to see the throwback gold on the helmets and uniforms, and the 1969 black-shell design.
(BTW, not to be That Guy™, but it’s spelled “rescission”.)
It’s fine to be That Guy™ Jay!
It didn’t look right when I typed it, so bad on me for not checking spelling.
Agreed 100%. Fix the gold on the helmet to match the jersey and pants, and ditch the current decals on the black helmet for the throwback decals. They’d look gorgeous.
Teams need to stop messing with their helmets. One helmet for every uniform looks great, with maybe a second one for a throwback. An alternate helmet for an alternate uniform is almost always a downgrade – the Bengals are imo the only team to pull this off.
Bengals pull it off because they absolutely designed their white uniform to match a white helmet. The black stripes on the white jersey with no orange only really works with the white helmet, it even looks bad with their standard helmet.
And yes, 100% agree, the helmet has always been so tied to the identity of the team, have all these additional helmets just is bad for their own branding.
Chargers: I really only want to see white helmets, gold pants, and powder blue or white jerseys. But a completely siloed (no mixing and matching) Junior Seau navy era look would be fine at worst, very good at best.
Saints: A tweaked gold to match better would be nice but I’d call that a longshot. The current black helmets are both unnecessary and not good looking, but if they can make a good looking black helmet, I’d take it. White helmets…ok please no. They’re the black and gold, enough monkey see monkey do. As God is intending, white isn’t a team color, it’s just there to help visibility and of course to have a white jersey option per NFL rules. A white helmet makes it feel like white is a team color. Not in my head it ain’t!
All: Yeah it’s exhausting. Once upon a time, the NFL’s attitude was “Helmets are a big trademark, and we only get a very short regular season to showcase them, so no alternate shells, but straight up throwbacks can work.” That was before the “one color of a shell only” rule. Now the toothpaste is totally out of the tube.
Chargers Royal Blue jerseys with gold numerals and Gold pants actually my favorite with current set. Chargers truly should do a thicker shoulder bolts or something more substantial on shoulders with color Gold given no TV numerals cluttering the set up.
I too love Powder Blue, but without the Gold numerals, the total look is better with Gold numerals that greatly contrast the Royal Blue jersey. Add Gold numerals to the Powder Blue jersey, ALWAYS wear Gold pants – Problems Solved
As a Saints fan, I would love to see a white helmet to go with our color rush uniforms, which is our best current look at the moment. The black helmets were a mistake.
Forgot to include that this is just my opinion (as are most of the comments on this website) before the angry nerds come for me.
Saints Black helmets would be 1000% better with 1969 stripes, perhaps also Grey facemasks. Also could be worn when Saints want to contrast with other Gold Helmet teams …
Saints Black helmets would be 1000% better with 1969 stripes, perhaps also Grey facemasks. Also could be worn when Saints want to contrast with other Gold Helmet teams … White alternate NFL helmets are indeed a very tiresome trend
I would absolutely love to see the Chargers in a navy helmet…with a yellow cage…and yellow pants.
I would love to see a yellow Chargers helmet. Why not there’s only one other team in the NFL that uses yellow and way too many that wear white. A powder blue would look good too. The Navy Blue would be a nice change as well.
1000% I think a gloss yellow helmet would look gorgeous with any of their sets. I also think a matte powder blue helmet would look good, at least with their white tops. And either would be unique in the NFL.
I myself have been a New Orleans Saints fan since they became a franchise in 1967 and I for the logo on the helmet, I’d love to see the old school Saints guy because I’ve always liked that l liked the old school design.
I just don’t get this obsession with navy for the chargers. They have a unique color scheme – own it; stop trying to look like everyone else.
Chargers already kinda revealed what their navy alternate helmet will look like back in week 12 in promotional images for the navy unis. link
That was already covered in the article I linked to: link
A full two days before the Creamer piece.
I’m fully on board with the saints doing the throwback black. I don’t mind their current black alt, but it falls way short of greatness for a few details. The throwback may be just a traditional look but it’s very nice.
As for the chargers: I would L-O-V-E either a yellow shell or a powder blue shell. They would be totally unique in the league and the chargers of all teams could pull either off.
Like the look of that Chargers helmet; just get rid of that side number (THIS ISN’T COLLEGE!!!).
Chargers need to wear the exact uniforms shown in this article. To me, the white bolt style is far superior to the version that was leaked last year.