Atlanta Falcons to bring back iconic red helmets for one game this season
ATLANTA — Red helmets are coming back for the Atlanta Falcons — for at least one game this season.
The franchise announced the return of the iconic helmet on Wednesday night for the Falcons’ Week 6 game against the San Francisco 49ers at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The red helmet — which will have a gray face mask along with a black Falcons crest logo with white trim — will be worn with the team’s throwback black jerseys with white numbers and red trim. The helmet will also be similar to the team’s original, with a black stripe down the middle trimmed in white and gold.
The Falcons said in a release that this gold-streaked design was created to honor both of the major college programs in the state, the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech.
“Can’t wait to put this one on,” Falcons cornerback A.J. Terrell, who grew up in Atlanta, said in a video released by the team. “Definitely, like, looking at all the throwback uniforms, this one always comes to mind. It’s very rare seeing a red helmet with the gold stripe down the middle so I can’t wait to put this one on.”
Terrell was so excited about the helmet that he said he wanted to keep the one he modeled for the team’s social media feeds and website instead of giving it back. He had already started imagining putting his visor on the helmet to complete his look.
Atlanta can wear these helmets again because of a change in NFL policy in 2021 allowing for a second piece of headgear to be worn this season. The Falcons reintroduced the red helmets with this uniform in 2009 and wore them twice per season until 2013.