NFL makes major rule change

A new rule change is coming to the NFL for some teams in 2024 and all teams in 2025.

According to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, the league has revised its uniform policy to allow teams to wear three different helmet designs. Teams with new uniform designs for the 2024 season — including the Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, New York Jets and Denver Broncos — will be eligible to take advantage of the new rule this coming year, while all 32 teams will be able to wear three different helmet designs beginning in 2025.

The new rule marks a drastic shift from 2021, when teams were only able to wear one helmet shell per season. While teams were allowed to occasionally change their decals, the helmet shell color was required to remain the same throughout the entire campaign.

The NFL informed clubs today it has revised the uniform policy to allow teams a third helmet design, per source.

This expansion was offered to the teams that were going through the re-design process for the 2024 season and is now open to all clubs for the 2025 season. pic.twitter.com/8pXHLtZqjm

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 10, 2024

That, however, changed in 2022, with the NFL allowing teams to wear up to two helmet shell colors per season. As a result, teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were able to wear both their regular pewter helmets and throwback white helmets in the same season, while other teams used the rule to introduce new alternate helmets, such as the Texans, who added red helmets to their wardrobe options.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how many teams take advantage of the league’s new helmet rules and how they utilize the ability to wear a third helmet. We could find out as soon as later this month, when teams making changes are expected to unveil their new uniform designs ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft.

[NFL.com]