Cowboys

Last update: 6/10/24

1960-63

The Dallas Cowboys have worn four different helmets in their existence.

The first one was the white helmet with the plain blue star. The traditional style helmet was available in the rare 4-piece Dallas Cowboys team set. The two-bar version was in the Throwback 2-bar set.

The Cowboys revised a similar helmet as a throwback between 2004 and 2012. That helmet, however, had a darker shade of white and darker blue star. More about this below.

1964-66

In 1964, Dallas switched to the silver helmet with the blue star. It looks identical to today’s Cowboys helmet. The blue star on this helmet, however, only has a white border. After 1966, the star would have a blue and a white border. This helmet is only available in the Cowboys Throwback division set from around 2003.

1976

In 1967, Dallas switched to the helmet they wear today. The 1976 helmet was unique to that year. It had a red stripe added to the already blue and white stripes in commemoration of the U.S. Bicentennial. This helmet is only available in the Throwback Series 2 set. This helmet was worn as a throwback in 2021. It’s in the speed limited edition series.

1967-present

These helmets are available in the Original, Revolution, Speed, and Throwback NFC 1969 2-bar sets.

The white helmet was worn as a throwback between 2004 and 2012. This helmet was available in the Throwback Series 2 set and the NFC East Division set as a bonus helmet in the traditional style.

White Throwback Helmets

There is enough evidence to show the 2004-12 throwback helmet is a different style. First, the pocket helmets clearly show different shades of blue and white.

2004 Throwback on right
2004 Throwback on left

A second piece of evidence is from the Gridiron Uniform Database, generally recognized as the definitive source on football uniform history (to me, at least). The helmet on the left is from 1963. The helmet on the right is from 2012.

Images from Gridiron Uniform Database. © 2011-2021 Tim Brulia, Bill Schaefer, Rob Holecko,
Austin Snelick, John Nelson.

The images below are from 1963 and 2012. Although somewhat out of focus, the helmet colors on the left are brighter.

Photo on left: Charles Dameron, 2012, Oct. 5, When the Cowboys Battled for Dallas. Wall-Street Journal.
Photo on right: Mike Fisher, 2013, Sept. 8, The Truth Behind the Disappearance of the Cowboys Throwback, CBS 21 Dallas-Ft. Worth.

Limited edition helmets

Dallas Cowboys Pocket Super Bowl Helmets

Checklist

Last update: 6/10/24

YearsColorFacemaskLogoStripePocket helmet
1960-63WhiteGreyBlue starBlue-white-blueThrowback Series 1

Throwback 2-bar
1964-66SilverGreyBlue star with white outlineBlue-white-blueThrowback 4-pc Team Set 
1967-presentSilverGreyBlue star with blue and white outlineBlue-white-blueTraditional  / 4-piece Throwback Team set

Revolution

Speed

Chrome

Throwback NFC 1969 2-bar
1976, 2021 throwbackSilverGreyBlue star with blue and white outlineBlue-white-redThrowback Series 2 / Throwback 4-pc Team Set

Speed – limited edition series
2004-12, 2022–present ThrowbackWhiteGreyDarker blue starDarker blue-white-darker blueTraditional Style NFC East Set (as a bonus)

Speed – limited edition series
2022-present alternateWhiteWhiteBlue star with blue and white outlineBlue-white-blueSpeed – limited edition series

Super Bowl:

References