One beloved part of the old Atlanta Falcons uniforms could potentially make a return in 2022. With the NFL lifting its one-helmet rule next year, each franchise will be allowed to add an alternate helmet for the season.
This has some fans pumped for the possible return of the Falcons’ 1966 throwback uniforms. The team’s current throwback option stems from the 1990s.
The NFL has informed teams that they will be allowed to use alternate-color helmets again, starting in 2022 👀 pic.twitter.com/a0MfvsC8GN
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 24, 2021
The NFL’s policy regarding the one-helmet rule went into place before the 2013 season. This prevented the Falcons from further using the red helmet, as they did in 2012 for the first time since 1990. The team’s senior vice president, Brett Jewkes, has stated on multiple occasions that the red helmet isn’t just a favorite among fans, but among the organizational leaders as well.
While the team has yet to announce the return of this color scheme, and likely won’t be anytime soon, it’s safe to assume the conversation is happening behind closed doors.
This rule change can be applied to alternate, classic, and/or color rush uniforms, per the memo sent out to teams by the NFL. For the fans who weren’t so high on the Falcons’ gradient jerseys, the red helmet addition could alleviate some of the push back. A change could help with continuity, too, as it would be make the top half of the uniform fully red instead of the out-of-place black helmet — giving it a truly gradient feel.
