Tag: Riddell Pocket Helmet

Another Saints Drop!

We are getting towards the end. After the 2025 Saints white alternate, there are only three left in the limited edition series. It appears Riddell has moved on from 2024, so it’s likely 2025 will be it.

I wonder if Riddell will do this again in 2026. The helmets are undoubtedly very cool. But buying them one a time is expensive. My 5-year old dog went into kidney failure this weekend and fortunately survived. But the vet bill!!! Maybe it would be nice to take a year off in 2026 for the limited edition individual sales 🙂 I personally like the sets, like Riddell used to do in the old days. How cool would a rivalries set be?

For 2025, Riddell’s options are the two Bills throwbacks, the blue Chargers throwback, Steelers throwback alternate, and Commanders throwback alternate. It’s looking like the Bengals, Rams, Chiefs, and Raiders won’t get a limited edition helmet.

Some Saints helmet facts:

  • The Saints have a factory helmet for every style and era (not including the awesome 1969 pre-season helmet). The join the Bengals, Bucs, Jaguars, Panthers, Ravens, Seahawks, and Vikings. The Saints will wear three different helmet styles in 2025. I am assuming they’ve moved on from the throwback.
  • The Saints logo is a fleur de lis, or a stylized lilly flower. The Saints have used five versions of the logo throughout the years.
    • The first (1967-99) was black with a white outline.
    • The 1969 preseason helmet also displays the old fleur de lis, but is gold with a white outline.
    • The logo was updated in 2000 and is more ornate. It is black with a white and then black outline on the outside.
    • The fleur de lis on the black alternate helmet displays a gold fluer de lis with a black and then white outline on the outside.
    • The 2025 white alternate displays the same fluer de lis with a white and then black outline.
  • While researching this article, I discovered the fleur de lis also has a troubled history. Today, however, New Orleanians see it as a symbol of unity.

Limited Edition Checklist

Throwback / Alternate

  • Total: 37
  • 2024: 15/15
  • 2025: 22/25
  • Throwbacks: 15
  • Alternates: 20
  • Alternate throwbacks: 2

NFC: 21

  • East: 7 – Commanders 1, Cowboys 3, Eagles 1, Giants 2
  • North: 6 – Bears 2, Packers 2, Lions 1, Vikings 2
  • South: 4 – Buccaneers 1, Falcons 1, Panthers 1, Saints 2
  • West: 3 – 49ers 1, Cardinals 1, Rams 0, Seahawks 1

AFC: 15

  • East: 4 – Bills 0, Dolphins 1, Jets 2, Patriots 2
  • North: 2 – Bengals 0, Browns 2, Ravens 1, Steelers 0
  • South: 5 – Colts 1, Jaguars 2, Texans 2, Titans 1
  • West: 2 – Broncos 2, Chargers 0, Chiefs 0, Raiders 0

Houston Texans Pocket Helmet Drop

Image

The 2024 Texans alternate is the 5th 2025 limited edition and 20th overall (including 2024). There have been 10 alternates and 10 throwbacks. So everything is even steven now.

I don’t personally perfer helmet logos that are letters, but this one is pretty sharp. I like the attention to detail with the red flakes and Texans logo on the back. I also like this helmet because it’s difficult to make a customized version. The factory helmets are obviously sharper and cleaner.

The battle red from 2022 is one of my favorite alternates. I doubt Riddell will make that one as it is from a few years ago. In fact, this would have been a great opportunity to make team set: 2022 battle red alternate and the two 2024 alternates.

Oilers Drop

This Titans throwback / Oilers drop happened over the holidays. According Riddell, it’s the last limited edition drop of 2024. That does not mean it’s the last limited edition drop, as there could be more after Jan. 1, 2025.

This is the 15th limited edition drop from Riddell this year. Eight have been throwbacks and seven alternates. The Oilers helmet is notable for being the first speed style Oilers helmet.

Limited Edition Drop Checklist

  1. Atlanta Falcons 1966-69 throwback
  2. Baltimore Ravens 2024-present alternate
  3. Carolina Panthers 2022-present alternate
  4. Chicago Bears 2022-present alternate
  5. Dallas Cowboys 2022-present alternate
  6. Denver Broncos 1993-96 throwback
  7. Detroit Lions 2024-present alternate
  8. Green Bay Packers 2024-present alternate
  9. Miami Dolphins 1966, 69-73 (2015-present throwback)
  10. New England Patriots 1982-90 (2002, 2010-12, 2022-present throwback)
  11. New Orleans Saints 2022 alternate
  12. New York Giants 1937 throwback
  13. Seattle Seahawks 1983-2011 (2023 – present throwback)
  14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1976-96 (2023-present throwback)
  15. Tennessee Titans / Houston Oilers 1981-96 (2023-present throwback)

A Little Oilers Pocket Helmet History

  • 1960-63: Plain columbia blue helmet, white stripe, white oil derrick. These helmets are in the AFL 50th anniversary and Throwback Series 1 sets. The two-bar is in the regular Throwback 2-bar set.
  • 1964-65: Same helmet as 1960-63, but with white and red stripes added. There is no factory helmet for this style. I bought a factory helmet and added the red and white stripes.
1960-63 (two on the left, both factory), 1964-65 (right, custom)
  • 1966-67 (back row): Silver helmet, blue derrick with white and red outline, red-white-blue-white-red stripes, grey facemask. This helmet is in the Throwback AFC 1969 2-bar set. The traditional style helmet in the photo is a custom; I added the white stripes.
  • 1968-71 (front row): Silver helmet, blue derrick with white and red outline, red-blue-red stripes, grey facemask. Same as the 1966-67 helmet, but the white stripes were removed. This helmet is in the Throwback Series 2 set. Riddell placed a large gap between the red and blue stripes. However, I found no evidence of the gap. I think the red-blue-red stripes are contiuous. More information about that is in another post.
1966-67 (back row, factory on the left, custom on the right), 1968-71 (front row, factory)
  • 1972-74: Columbia blue helmet, white/red stripes, red derrick with red outline, grey facemask. Riddell did not manufacture a factory version of this helmet. The helmet in the photo below is a custom.
  • 1975-80: White helmet, blue derrick with red outline, red-white-blue-white-red stripes, grey facemask. No official factory helmet was made, but it can easily be customized by switching out the facemasks.
  • 1981-96: Same helmet, but with a red facemask. The factory helmet is available in the Traditional style. Also in the speed style as a throwback (picture available at the beginning of this post).
  • 1997-98: Same helmet, but with a tiny Tennessee state flag in the corner. The factory helmet is available in the Traditional style.