Tag: riddell

Broncos and Texans Updates

Broncos

The Broncos announced three changes:

  • Regular helmet: 2024-present: Midnight blue helmet, modern bronco logo, dotted orange arrow stripes, midnight blue facemask
  • Alternate: 2024-present alternate: White helmet, modern bronco logo, dotted midnight blue arrow stripes, white facemask
  • Throwback: 1976-78: Dark blue and medium blue helmets, 1968-92 ‘D’ logo, white-orange-white stripes, white facemask

The new regular helmet is basically the same as the previous helmet. It only has a different stripe. Same with the white alternate.

It appears the midnight blue alternate Denver wore between 2016 and 2023 will be retired. As will the 2023 alternate. I would not anticipate Riddell making factory versions of these pocket helmets as they are now outdated.

The Broncos twitter feed suggests the throwback is a throwback to 1977. However, the image appears to display the 1993-96 logo. As noted on my Broncos pocket helmet site, the Broncos changed the “D” logo in 1993. There’s also the issue of the color. The Broncos wore the lighter blue later, mostly in the 80s and 90s. However, there is evidence to suggest the Broncos wore multiple shades of blue in 1976-77. So, the color might match.

There’s a lot of nostalgia for this helmet. I think it looks great. But I have also liked the newer Broncos logo and helmet from the last 20 years. It has a clean, modern look. The logo also stands out. The throwback is an orange D with, from a distance, looks like a white ink blot.

Texans

The Texans released two new alternates for 2024. one midnight blue and the other red. Both are significant departures from the current helmet. The midnight blue alternate appears to incorporate Oilers colors.

A factory pocket helmet of the red alternate was not made last year (2023). I would expect this helmet to be retired and a factory pocket helmet not made.

From Texans Twitter feed

Seahawks 2023 Throwback Announced

Riddell announced the release of the 1983-2001 Seahawks throwback helmet. The Seahawks wore this helmet in 2023. The original helmet was silver with a blue facemask. This is the first time Riddell has manufactured this helmet in the speed style.

Here are the updates on factory Riddell pocket helmets as of March 2024. I have only seen the Cowboys and Seahawks helmets available on the Riddell website. All others have to be purchased from secondary sellers on eBay or other sites.

  • Cincinnati Bengals 2022-present alternate: White helmet, black facemask, black stripes, speed style
  • Dallas Cowboys 2022-present alternate: White helmet, blue star with blue outline, two blues stripes, speed style
  • Detroit Lions 2023-present alternate: Honolulu blue helmet, alternate logo, grey facemask, speed style
  • Philadelphia Eagles 1985-96 throwback: Green helmet, silver wing with white outline, grey facemask, speed style
  • Pittsburg Steelers 2007-11 alternate/throwback: Plain yellow helmet, ”Steelers” logo, black stripe, revolution style. This helmet is no longer manufactured.

Oilers Pocket Factory Helmet Update

Between 1966 and 1971, the Oilers had a silver helmet. Between 1966 and 1967, the helmet had red-white-blue-white-red stripes. In 1968, the white stripes were removed. The factory helmets are displayed below.

Back row: 1966-67. The 2-bar helmet is from the 1969 set. I added white stripes to the helmet on the right, which is from the throwback series 2 set.
1968-71: Factory helmet from the throwback series 2 set.

A few months ago, I noticed I never saw a helmet with the red-silver-blue-silver-red stripes configuration. Rather, the stripes were always continuous, as shown in the photos below. This was pointed out to me by fellow collector and helmet expert, Michael Eggenburg.

Neil Leifer Collection, Getty Images, 11/28/1968.
Neil Leifer Collection, Getty Images, 12/21/1969.
Ron Kuntz Collection, Getty Images, 11/20/1979

I had originally indicated the Oilers changed to the red-silver-blue-silver-red stripes configuration in 1971. I think I know why. Some of the stripe patterns from 1971 do exhibit a silver gap between the red and blue.

However, I think is more likely due to sloppy stripe placement than intentional design. The gap on the actual helmets is much narrower than the factory pocket helmet. So, this may not be an egregious error on Riddell’s part.

The definitive source on all these things is the Gridiron Uniform Database, which does not reference the red-silver-blue-silver-red stripes configuration. So, I am going to go with that verdict. I updated the team checklist to reflect this. In the future, I will make a custom to reflect this.

Thank you to Michael Eggenburg for bringing this to my attention!

Bettmann Collection, Getty Images, 11/14/1971
JJ Fowler, Pinterest, Date unknown
Helmet Addict, Twitter, Date unknown

Detroit Lions Riddell Pocket Helmet Update

As I write this, the Lions have won the NFC North. It is their first division win since 1993. Congratulations!

As many know, the Lions incorporated a new alternate helmet in 2023. It is honolulu blue with a grey facemask. The logo is a homage to the Ford Mustang logo. The logo has been around for years, but this is the first time the Lions wore it on a helmet.

This isn’t the first time the Lions have worn a Honolulu blue helmet. My research indicates the Lions wore a plain Honolulu helmet in 1949 and 1953. My research is largely based on the Gridiron Uniform Database.

The photo below is from 1953. The Lions won the NFL championship in 1953, so maybe this helmet is a positive omen.

The Lions first alternate helmet was worn in 1994. Since then, they have incorporated the following alternates in their routines:

Like nearly all alternates, Riddell did not manufacture factory pocket helmets of these Lions alternates. However, Riddell did manufacture the 2023 Lions alternate, in addition to the Bengals alternate and Eagles throwback. I saw photos of the helmet floating around online. Fellow collector Michael Dole confirmed the existence of this helmet. His photos are below:

Michael bought his helmet online. But neither of us really know where the helmet was originally obtained. The Bengals alternate and Eagles speed throwback are available on eBay, so I speculate those may only be sold in physical fan shops or the Hall of Fame store.

I have not seen the Lions helmet anywhere, however. The Lions helmet could have been manufactured for a special event or is maybe sold at a Lions pro shop. I can’t find it anywhere online.

This is only the third alternate helmet Riddell has manufactured. The others are the Steelers 2007-11 yellow and 2022-present Bengals white. I suppose one could include the Eagles throwback as an “alternate” as it was manufactured in the speed style.

Hopefully, Riddell will make this and other alternates more available in the future. An entire set would be really cool.

References:

Steelers Pocket Helmet Update

I came across a photo on the Santuario Steelers facebook site today. Apparently, the Steelers made a slight change to their logo in 2002. The differences are subtle and have to do with the shield logos. Here are the differences:

  1. Different Steelers font.
  2. Deeper colors in the diamonds.
  3. A black ring around the grey circle (this is almost impossible to see with a black background).

To my previous knowledge, the Steelers only had two logos: the “Steel” logo from 1962 and the “Steelers” logo 1963-present.

I checked my Steelers pocket helmets. I did notice differences in the helmet logos. I assumed these differences were the results of minor variations in factory printing. It turns out there were also variations in the hypocycloid colors and grey ring. But they were likely intentional.

I went to the authority on all things football uniform related, the Gridiron Uniform Database. I did not see mention of a change between 2001 and 2002. This article by Bill Schaefer detailed the following history. I think the yellow helmets are using a more modern “Steelers” font. So, this could be an error on Riddell’s part.

  1. 1962: Yellow helmet, Steel logo, yellow-orange-blue hypocycloids, grey facemask. The factory pocket helmet from this era has yellow-red-blue hypocycloids. This helmet is in the throwback series 1 and throwback 2 bar sets.
  2. 1963-67: Black helmet, smaller Steelers logo, yellow-orange-blue hypocycloids, grey facemask. The factory pocket helmet from this era has yellow-red-blue hypocycloids.
  3. 1967-77: Black helmet, even smaller Steelers logo, yellow-Vermilion-blue hypocycloids, black facemask. The factory pocket helmet from this era has yellow-red-blue hypocycloids. Vermillion is a color between orange and red I randomly chose. Regardless, it demonstrates the gradual change from orange to red. This helmet, along with the previous 1963-67 helmet, would be in the throwback series 1, series 2, throwback 2-bar, and throwback 2-bar 1969 sets.
  4. 1978-90: Black helmet, more smaller Steelers logo, yellow-red-blue hypocycloids, black facemask. This helmet is in the traditional style.
  5. 1990-2001: Black helmet, Steelers logo, yellow-red-blue hypocycloids, black facemask. This helmet is in the traditional style. According to the Schaefer article, the font was bolded in 1990. A search through Getty Images convinced me the font was bolder in the 1990s.
  6. 2002-present: Black helmet, Steelers logo with changed font, yellow-red-blue hypocycloids, black circle around gray border, black facemask. This helmet would be in the traditional, revolution and speed styles.

As much as I love attention to detail, it’s daunting to research all of the minor variations in colors and fonts. I am going to slightly amend the Steelers checklist for my personal collection. Other collectors may want to be more detailed.

Here is my revised checklist: