Helmet decals

In 2007 Quarterback were allowed to have radio communication with their coach/coordinator. In 2008, the dot became a League symbol when a black NFL Shield was slapped on the dot. In addition, one player on defense was allowed to wear the dot. The green dots were and are usually worn on the center ridge of the helmet an the back of the 'head.'

After the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, nearly every player added the US Flag decal to their helmet with very few (if any) exceptions.
All players also wore a flag decal in the 1990 season during Operation Desert Storm.

All players wore the decal in 'celebration' of the game to be played in Mexico City between San Francisco and Arizona.

I can't find any proof of it but I seem to remember a team wearing a memorial decal on their helmets in the shape of a shamrock. I thought it might be for a Rooney or a McCaskey but I haven't been able to turn anything up.

Little help guys? (Or just tell me I'm imagining things.)

Griggs passed away over the summer months. The Chargers wore this white decal all season.

Likewise, Culver passed over the summer, as well. The Chargers wore his 22 on a white decal in the '96 season.

I'm hoping to get a bigger one of these somewhere. For now, I'm cutting and straightening the logo from the photo and that's that.

I came across this photo on a Google search. Joe Lavender has a yellow decal with the words HIT and WIN in cross-shape. The caption said that this may have been a motivational ploy by George Allen to get his team 'up' for the season finale against the Cowboys. It is said to possibly have been a take-off of a Gerald Ford re-election button that simply said WIN seen here.


Anybody with more information on this? Was it worn by the whole team?
Was it a one-time deal or all season? This seems to indicate it wasn't worn at other times...

Bill Schaefer wrote:I can't find any proof of it but I seem to remember a team wearing a memorial decal on their helmets in the shape of a shamrock. I thought it might be for a Rooney or a McCaskey but I haven't been able to turn anything up.

Little help guys? (Or just tell me I'm imagining things.)

No imagining. It was the Bears, after the death of Ed McCaskey in 2003:

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/detail-of-a-chicago-bears-helmet-during-the-game-against-news-photo/2758730

Regarding other Bears changes, this might help:

http://www.bearshistory.com/sidelines/chicagobearsuniformhistory.aspx

In 1984, the Dolphins wore #20 on the back of their helmet in memory of running back David Overstreet, who had been killed in an offseason auto accident. Here's a photo:

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/miami-dolphins-head-coach-don-shula-confers-with-young-news-photo/76916588

Also in '84, the Rams wore #42 on the back of their helmet in memory of DB Kirk Collins, who died of cancer in February of that year:

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/eric-dickerson-of-the-los-angeles-rams-puts-on-his-helmet-news-photo/110041057

In 1983, the Dolphins wore a #50 sticker in memory of Larry Gordon, who had died during the offseason:

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4977552836_af60fba232_o.png

In 1986, the Giants began wearing a #38 in memory of former running back John Tuggle, who died of cancer in late August 1986. However, I'm not sure if it began with the 10/5 or 10/12 game. The first photo is from the 9/28 game, the second from 10/12, and the third is a better photo of the number--from the 11/23 game:

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/running-back-reuben-mayes-of-the-new-orleans-saints-runs-news-photo/81463690

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/new-york-giants-defensive-players-lawrence-taylor-george-news-photo/78418968

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/phil-simms-of-the-new-york-giants-releases-the-football-as-news-photo/73817766

WOW!
A) Thank you sir! Good to know I'm NOT going crazy...yet.
B) Got the Larry Gordon one right next to the David Overstreet a couple pages back.
C) The Chairman Emeritus of the Bears who married George Halas' daughter Virginia passed away in April 2003. The Bears wore the decal all season.

Tuggle passed away from cancer on Aug 30, 1986. However, the 38s were not present in a 9/28 photo but did appear in a 10/12 photo. The question we are trying to solve is whether they appeared first in the 10/12 game or 1 game earlier on 10/5.



In this photo from the 1987 NFC Championship Game, there is a Giant (#74 - help me Larry!) seated across from a standing Jim Burt. His 3 and 8 are the same size and font as the 7 of his helmet numbers. I'm guessing, without a much more close-up image handy, that the Giants just used extra 3s and 8s from there supply of helmet numbers instead of ordering new separate decals.




***UPDATE - BBL comes through in the clutch with a photo showing the Giants did wear the 38 for the first time on October 5, 1986.

#74 was Erik Howard.

Bill Schaefer wrote:All players wore the decal in 'celebration' of the game to be played in Mexico City between San Francisco and Arizona.

Tremendous thread, guys.

Just one itty bitty thing...don't forget the small accent over the "u" in "futbol"

Bill Schaefer wrote:In this photo from the 1987 NFC Championship Game, there is a Giant (#74 - help me Larry!) seated across from a standing Jim Burt. His 3 and 8 are the same size and font as the 7 of his helmet numbers. I'm guessing, without a much more close-up image handy, that the Giants just used extra 3s and 8s from there supply of helmet numbers instead of ordering new separate decals.

Yeah, Erik Howard was #74.

I'm going through my Giants 1987 yearbook - the #38 first showed up at the 10/5 game at St. Louis. If you like I can try and get a scan of a picture and email it tomorrow.

You are right, it is not an actual decal, just additional helmet numbers.

Found one:

You can make out the #38 on the back of Collins helmet.

THANK YOU!
Problem solved.
The 38 for John Tuggle was added for this 10/5 game at St. Louis.
Great job!

Better, Tim?

BD Sullivan alert us to this one.
But I'm having a bit of difficulty. No font on my computer matches this. I was up till 1130PM last trying to find the matching font. I thought it might be a form of Engravers or Bodoni but neither quite gets the bottom of the 2 correct.


Well, the photo was big enough to craft something out of the closest existing 2 that I could find until something better comes along.

I came across these 2 in my searches.
The first one is for George Plimpton "The Paper Lion" who passed away 9/25/2003. I did a check of Getty for as many Lions games as I could after this date but couldn't find any evidence that it was worn.


The second, I'm guessing maybe the Saints, I have no idea for whom it could be honoring.


I remain hopeful for each of these as they were pictured with the Pat Tillman, Tex Schramm, and Hank Stram decals - all decals that were worn.

Andolsek passed a way a few months before the season started. The 65 decal was worn all season. Spotted this while unsuccessfully viewing 1992 Buccaneers highlights trying to find glimpses of the 2 black decals Vinny wore in the earlier photo. (All I was able to determine about that was that he did not have them for the early part of the season and could only spot the presence of the black tape in the season finale at Phoenix.)

The Lions placed a 50 decal on their helmets for LB Toby Caston for the entire season. The decal also appeared on the plain silver throwback helmets Detroit wore for the NFL's 75th Anniversary season.

After Browns legend Lou Groza died on 11/29/00, the Browns wore a #76 sticker on the back of their helmet (see below). However, I'm not sure when it began. He died on Wednesday night, which conceivably gave the equipment people enough time to put them on, but the team flew out on Friday afternoon to a 12/3 road game at Jacksonville. What's most frustrating is that Getty has no photos from this game (a total blowout for Jax), and the photos from the following week have no photos from the rear of a Browns helmet.

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fullback-lorenzo-neal-of-the-tennessee-titans-beats-the-news-photo/81799532

****************
In December 1990, with the Gulf War getting closer, the NFL decided to have all teams wear a U.S. flag decal on the back of their helmet. It started with the games of December 22-23; here's a wire story about it from 12/21 and a photo from the Raiders-Cincy playoff game:

"NFL players will wear American flag decals on their helmets, starting in this weekend's games.

"This presentation of the American flag is a very appropriate method for the NFL clubs and players to affirm their support for the men and women of our Armed forces on duty in Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf," commissioner Paul Tagliabue said."

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/los-angeles-raiders-running-back-bo-jackson-carries-the-news-photo/81692925

****************
In December 1993, Houston Oiler Jeff Alm committed suicide. Beginning with the 12/19 game in Pittsburgh, the Oilers wore a #76 decal in his memory. Below is an example (from the following week's contest):

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/cornerback-cris-dishman-of-the-houston-oilers-defends-wide-news-photo/82032977

****************
For last year's 10/16 game against Houston, the Ravens wore a "PBM" memorial sticker in memory of the wife of former owner Art Modell, Patricia Breslin Modell, who had died the previous Wednesday:

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/joe-flaccos-helmet-and-those-of-his-teammates-bear-the-news-photo/129399779

I found this photo from the next game - vs Philly - and the decal is clearly present on 12/10.


12/17/00




Unusual given the Cleveland/Baltimore connection by way of Modell, you would think if they wore the decal at Baltimore, there'd be mention of it especially so soon after Groza's passing. Tend to think the Philly game was the first for the decal.

Worn the last 3 regular season games and 1 playoff game.

Mrs. Modell.

Their Monday Night game on 12/27 was too soon after Reggie's passing on 12/26 to get the decals.


They added a black dot 92 decal for their last regular season game on 1/2/2005 and continued wearing it through the Super Bowl (3 playoff games).

The 2005 Super Bowl did not feature logos on the helmets.


The 2006 game did.

General Manager Pat McGroder passed away in February 1986. The Bills paid tribute to him with a PJM decal in an unusual place...and they did it for BOTH the 1986 and 1987 seasons.
1986 (blue facemasks)


1987 (white facemasks)





Anybody know why Jim Kelly used 2 different facemask styles during both years?

According to this article...
http://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/chargers_retire_junior_seaus_no_55_at_celebration_of_life_memorial/10774589
...San Diego will wear a 55 decal for Junior Seau this season.

Something to keep our eyes peeled for...

In Super Bowl XV (Raiders-Eagles), both teams had a two inch yellow rectangle on the center ridge on the rear of the helmet to symbolize support for the American hostages in Iran.

In Super Bowl XVIII (Raiders-Redskins), Redskins had a tiny SB XVIII logo on the left rear of the helmet, between the feather tip and the outer white stripe. The Raiders had NO SB XVIII helmet decal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOiN5o9eFE0

Despite the Silver, Black, and Green, yellow was the color of the day in support of the American hostages in Iran.
The Super Dome had it.


Pete Rozelle had it.


Even the microphones had it.


So did the Eagles and Raiders, as Tim described, on the back of the helmets' center ridge/stripeline.
On the Raiders, it interrupted the black stripe directly between the rear numbers.

Thank you Tim. Redskins only. Did they make their own logo in nothing but red/burgundy?


I found this screengrab from a UW link back in 2008.


On first look , it looks like the logo is burgundy. But if you save the photo and zoom in on it really tightly you can see how the burgundy from the helmet is encroaching on the logo due to a 'lack of HD technology' just like it is on the bottom left of the yellow circle on the main logo. The correct parts of the SB logo are definitely NOT burgundy but blue like the normal Super Bowl logo that year.

The addition of the NFL Shield to the helmet - in the form of a decal - just happened to coincide with its addition to the hip area on the pants in 1991.

1990


1991


1991-2007 Shield


2008-current Shield

Sorry no confirmation yet on the Vinny Bucs UM tribute stickers yet.. Video is too blurry to say for certain anything yet.

And, Overtsreet's was the first I remember, too.

In March 2009, Marquis Cooper and 2 others were presumed to have drowned in the Gulf of Mexico when their boat capsized.
The Raiders wore his #95 decal on their helmets for the entire season.

As documented several posts ago, when Jerome Brown and Shane Curry passed away prior to the 1992 season, their teams (Philly and Indy respectively) wore decals memorializing them. It was also noted that several University of Miami Hurricanes playing for Jimmy Johnson's Dallas Cowboys chose to wear Jerome's #98 and Shane's #44 - the numbers they wore at Miami. A photo of Vinny Testaverde showed that at some point during the '92 season (not the entire season), he added "JB" and "SC" decals to his helmet.


As a Miami grad who was there at that time, I remembered the team wearing decals that year also.
This was the best photo from that season that I could uncover showing the same "JB" and "SC" decals wore by Vinny.


At this time it is unknown how many other 'Canes in the NFL that season also wore either the "JB" & "SC" as the Hurricanes and Vinny T did or the "98" and "44" as certain Dallas Cowboys did.

Mitch Frerotte is caught still wearing the Dennis Byrd decal during the famous 1992 Wildcard game vs. Houston.



As well as Kent Hull...


...and Will Wolford


Just a thought...
Hull was the center, Frerotte was left guard, and Wolford was the left tackle. Yet Glenn Parker (RG) and Howard Ballard (RT) did not have the decal. I just wonder if Dennis Byrd primarily played on the defense's right side over the Bills' left side leading to them wearing the decal.

Sorry, Bill, I think I just realized you weren't so much looking for a specific screenshot of 1992 Vinny -- you proved the existence of the stickers already, I see now you were more after exactly at what point during 1992 season did he start wearing them, right? I have, I believe, all the games from that season, I will see if I can pinpoint exactly when they added them, even if I can't find a good screenshot.

Yeah, I knew he wore them for at least the last 2 games - @ SF & @ Phoenix but before that I don't know.

By finding the Hurricanes photos I know what they looked like so that's taken care of too.

I also wanted to see if anyone else on the Bucs (Craig Erickson or Alonzo Highsmith) was wearing them.

Others that could have been wearing them in games vs the Bucs...
Bennie Blades (DB) & Brett Perriman (WR) - Detroit - 9/27 & 10/25
Randall Hill (WR) - Phoenix - 9/6 & 12/27
Wesley Carroll (WR) - NO - 11/1
Cleveland Gary (RB) - LA RAMS - 12/6
Willis Peguese (DL/LB) - IND - 10/4

All played the Bucs in 1992.

I keep trying to remind myself to see if I can find a 1992 Browns highlight reel to see if Bernie Kosar wore them as well.

Well, just got done scanning the 12/6/92 ESPN game vs L.A. Rams, and I can confirm Vinny did wear them..



...and so did #27



...after looking up the roster to see that #27 was FS Derrick Fullington, who did indeed go to U. of M., I see that along with Fullington, Testaverde, Erickson, and Highsmith, the Bucs also had an OL #67 Mike Sullivan from Miami...

Could not confirm any others from this game, but Cleveland Gary of the Rams was not wearing them...

Will check more games after I get some sleep

Ok, one more, can confirm Vinny & Fullington did not have them for Week 7 at Chicago..





So we've narrowed it down between Weeks 8-13

Well, looking at Week 10 vs. Minnesota, thought I had struck out as Vinny was in a baseball cap as Steve DeBerg started, and I couldn't see #27, but late in the game randomly and amazingly I spotted Craig Erickson on the sidelines wearing his helmet while Sam Wyche was calling a play!

So I assume they didn't wear them in that game, however I don't know if that is an assumption since we don't know if Erickson wore them at all, however since #27 did, Vinny wasn't only one.

This just in....

Vinny did not wear them Week 12 at San Diego...



or Week 13 vs Green Bay in Milwaukee...



but he did have them Week 17 at Phoenix...



So I would close the book and say all of the Bucs' U of M players wore them just the final four weeks... Weeks 14-17. When I get a chance I will watch the whole Rams-Bucs SNF game and see if Mike Patrick & Joe Theismann mention them at all since they apparently added them that week.

To paraphrase Mike Singletary, "I like this kind of research."

Thanks, Rob.
What a horrible way to have to spend the day!

The Cowboys were wearing theirs for the 10/25 game @ RAIDERS.

Any chance Perriman or Blades (Lions) were wearing them - at least for the second Bucs game?
Or Randall "Thrill" Hill in the last game for the Cards?

I think I got an even better close-up for you.... I'm not sure you did it justice with that last graphic...

Bill Schaefer wrote:Any chance Perriman or Blades (Lions) were wearing them - at least for the second Bucs game?
Or Randall "Thrill" Hill in the last game for the Cards?

Will look for those next.

Negatory on Hill.

No sticker for Blades or Perriman, although all Lions had other sticker mentioned earlier in thread for first Tampa Bay-Detroit game of the year.



Couldn't get a good shot of Perriman, but he didn't have it either. Did, however, get a good shot of Wayne Fontes ready for the London Olympics, about 20 years too early.