The Cleveland Browns announced Wednesday that the team will have white facemasks on its helmets in 2024, reverting to a look the franchise had for nearly 30 years.
The Browns teased the news on social media Tuesday night and rolled out an extravagant hype video revealing the new facemask on Wednesday. Maybe it was a little extra for a simple tweak, but the Cleveland faithful expressed excitement for the team’s new look.
I shouldn't be this stoked for a simple change to the facemask and logo, but here we are!
— Denny O'Leary (@dennyolearyX) April 17, 2024
It's crazy how much better the white facemask is for the #Browns. Such a simple change, but drastically improves the uniform & helmet combo. https://t.co/J1niDdgOLt
— Jeff D. Lowe (@JeffDLowe) April 17, 2024
The WHITE facemasks OFFICIALLY return full time!! All is right in the universe. Now, go WIN!!! #Browns #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/6p6qg8fBcN
— Pumpkinhead (@PumpkinNation) April 17, 2024
“We heard our loyal fans and are thrilled to see the white facemask featured on the Browns’ helmets beginning with the 2024 season and beyond as we continue to write the history of our franchise,” Cleveland Browns Partner JW Johnson said, per the team’s website.
Perhaps more importantly for fans, the team’s primary logo which features the helmet, also now has a white facemask.
From 2015-2023, Cleveland had a brown facemask as part of the franchise’s significant uniform redesign. Before that the Browns wore gray facemasks after ditching the white in 2006.
After minor tweaks to the uniform over the last several seasons, the Browns finally seem to have a set that sits well with the fanbase from top to bottom. Cleveland wore white facemasks in two separate games over the past two seasons with throwback uniforms, perhaps as a test for this launch. Now they’re permanent and the majority of Browns fans are happy with the move.
One of the reasons why the white facemasks are so popular among Browns fans is because of the team’s success when wearing them. Outside of its four NFL championships before the Super Bowl era, while the team wore gray facemasks, Cleveland’s winningest run came in the 1980s when the team sported white facemasks.
The Browns won five division titles and reached the playoffs seven times in the 80s, winning three playoff games including three trips to the AFC Championship Game. Though they never reached a Super Bowl, that decade of success holds a special place in the hearts of Cleveland fans, as does the uniforms that those Browns teams wore.
After winning 11 games and reaching the playoffs in 2023, the Browns hope to usher in this new helmet era with more of the same. Look good, feel good, play good, right?
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