There are a few things we know for certain regarding uniforms for the NFL in 2025. We know eight teams will be wearing “Rivalries” uniforms (the AFC East and NFC West) although we have only a vague idea about what those uniforms will actually look like. We also know the Los Angeles Chargers will be getting a new helmet this season.
And while it’s by no means official, it is believed that new helmet will be navy, and would be paired with the team’s dark navy alternate uniform. In a promotional video for their collaboration with the Crenshaw City Skate Club, several players were spotted holding blue helmets which were clearly modified to work with the all-navy uniform.
The dark navy helmet makes sense, and it would look a LOT better than the current white shell looks with that otherwise all-navy combo. Adding that shell would also serve as a nice harkback to a previous uniform, which is still well regarded.
It’s almost too obvious that this is the direction the team is headed for the fall.
But what if the expected navy shell isn’t what the Chargers have in mind?
Late last week, the Chargers joined the rest of the NFL in releasing a 2025 schedule video. The Chargers went with a Minecraft theme (and quite frankly knocked it out of the park):
should we REALLY make our schedule release video in minecraft?
yes yes yesyes
yesyes yes yes yes
yes yes yes yes yes
yes yesyes yes yes
yes yesye yes yes
yes yes yesyes pic.twitter.com/gxk31Dql5L— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) May 15, 2025
It’s a video that really needs to be watched more than once (and actually pausing it and slowly advancing the frames gives viewers some fun digs at their upcoming opponents, featured in quick cutaways — a particularly amusing one is the Giants watching the “ghost” of Saquon Barkley in an Eagles uniform). It’s really quite clever.
But lurking in all those quick cutaways was a surprise (one I certainly didn’t catch initially) that eagle-eyed Twitter detectives did. Check this out:
Do you see what I see?? !!!?? pic.twitter.com/2pNsuje2ox
— ⚡️Bolted Chad 🇺🇸 (“Sneaky Athletic”) (@0oWatches) May 15, 2025
That’s a new helmet color, but it’s NOT the expected navy. It’s light blue, which is basically the color of their primary home jersey!
So is this a nothingburger, or does it portend a light blue alternate shell?
Since the Chargers are not scheduled to get a “Rivalries” uniform until 2027 (along with the rest of the AFC west), so unlike say, the Dolphins, who are schedule to receive a Rivalries uniform this season, it’s almost a certainty the light blue helmet is not a tease of that future uniform.
As you’re likely aware, this season the NFL will not only permit alternates to be worn in four weeks (as opposed to three previously), teams will also be allowed up to three alternate helmet shell colors, and, for the first time ever, will let teams pair alternate helmets with primary uniforms. So, if the Chargers were to introduce an alternate light blue shell, they would be permitted to pair it with their primary jersey.
Of course, the Chargers still — at least for the time being — have only one shell: a white one. They swap decals when they pair it with their dark navy alternates, but it’s still just one shell. And they will be allowed to have up to three helmets (the white shell plus two alternates) if they so choose. Therefore, it’s not out of the realm of possiblity the Chargers not only add the expected dark navy shell, but they certainly could also add a light blue shell.
Does that mean they will? Of course not. The little “Easter Egg” light blue helmet shown in the release video could just be the video creators having some fun. But what if it’s more than that.
Things have been unusually quiet on the NFL uni front (and for the first time in over a decade no teams are introducing new primary uniforms for 2025). But we can expect that to change in the coming months, when teams begin to unveil new alternate jerseys (and/or pants) and also new helmet colors. And there will be eight new uniforms for the Rivalries program as well.
Honestly, I hope the light blue helmet is nothing. The white/light blue/gold is one of the best looks in the NFL, and I don’t think it would be improved in the least by pairing it with a light blue shell. I’m NOT a fan of the Chargers all-navy alternate, but clearly it would be improved by adding a dark navy shell. The current white helmet works best with the team’s primary home and road uniforms (especially with gold pants, but even with white).
Thoughts?
Even if the light blue helmet turns out to be just a tease, what do you think about the Chargers adding it as an alternate shell?
The dark blue makes sense however think they should remove the numbers from the helmet. It’s too outdated a look. Also a yellow helmet would look better.
Agree! Yellow lid with navy blue/white bolt paired with navy jersey and yellow pants would be sharp.
Agreed!
Its blasphemous to say, but the white shell/light blue/yellow has always struck me as imbalanced. Can’t put my finger on what looks off, but its something to do with the pants a bit darker than the helmet.
All classic NFL looks that are either helmet & pants match or helmet & jersey match – or, where all 3 elements are different, the helmet is always darker than the pants colour. So I can’t get into this being one of the best looks in the game.
But as a result, it is a look owned by the Chargers, and I’m all for it. Certainly they just look dull if they fo for white pants.
So if this is a reaction to fix that look, there is no need at all. Just more uni elements for the sake of them (is every team going to now start aiming for 17 different looks in a season??)
But as someone that got into the NFL in the early ’90s & saw the Chargers as a navy/yellow team, I’d be more than happy to see that colour scheme back in the locker, so hope this is just someone having some innocent fun in the video just to see if it gets out there.
Totally agree. The white/light blue/yellow combo seems to be loved by the majority, but I much prefer the white lids with white pants.
I feel this is nothing. We know the white helmet on all navy looks terrible. It will be a navy helmet.
The Chargers already have the best uniform set for an NFL team not called the Raiders. The navy helmet looks great and would only add to that level of quality…
I agree with everyone who likes the navy helmet with the navy alt uniform, but adding the number seems like clutter.
BTW, Phil, I always love that Junior Seau pic, but it makes me sad as well; RIP, JS.
With my nfl roots from the mid-’70s, I still have a fondness for the Chargers’ royal blue uni sets, aka Air Coryell, especially that gorgeous gold face mask!
Totally agree with the Air Coryell era uniforms (especially the ’79 to ’83 version). I would love to see those again!
Do you have the timestamp for when the helmet appears? Not sure if I’m blind but I can’t seem to find it
Unusually Quite – 3rd to last paragraph
Thanks & good catch.
Now fixed.
It is against nature to wear a white helmet with a shirt and pant that are different colors. And the Chargers aren’t immune to that. So maybe this Charger blue helmet helps balance that mismatch.
But doesn’t a Navy Helmet open things up for a throwback as well?
Always loved the numbers on the helmet.
When the Chargers brought that back I loved it.
Still do.
Their light blue home with that white helmet looks crisp on a sunny Sunday afternoon!
SoCal (should be San Diego) look.
Dan Fouts version is ok, but not nearly so sharp!
Just give us those exact Junior Seau jerseys as an alternate.