When the Cleveland Browns take the field for the 2024 season, they’ll do so with a new look.
While the Browns are keeping their classic jerseys intact, the team announced on Wednesday that they are updating their helmet. As had long been expected, Cleveland has replaced its brown facemasks with white ones, while changing the finish of its helmets from matte to gloss.
The Browns previously wore white facemasks on a full-time basis from 1975-2005 before switching to gray facemasks in 2006 and brown facemasks in 2015. Cleveland has worn white facemasks on special occasions during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before announcing on Wednesday that it will be returning to them full-time in 2024.
so fresh and so clean, clean 🧼 pic.twitter.com/LcIAsNKVBI
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) April 17, 2024
“We are excited to honor our storied history through the return of the white facemask,” Cleveland Browns Partner JW Johnson said in a statement. “As we continue to write the next chapter of Browns’ history, we reflect on different eras, such as the Kardiac Kids and the return of the franchise, that led us to this place in time.”
In addition to their actual helmets, the Browns have also updated their primary logo — which is a helmet — to reflect their new facemask. The Browns’ white facemasks are most associated with the “Kardiac Kids” era of the 1980s, which featured star quarterbacks Brian Sipe and Bernie Kosar.
“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,” Johnson said.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.