Okay, so, the 49ers helmet for 2023, right? Let me tell you about the little adventure I had with that.
First off, I started by digging around online, just to see what’s new with the helmets this year. I was browsing the official 49ers online store, looking at all the New Era gear they had. They have some pretty cool stuff, I gotta say. They got this classic snapback style, and it’s called the Helmet 9FIFTY Snapback Hat. It looked pretty sharp.
Then, I got curious about what other teams were doing. I stumbled upon some info about the Arizona Cardinals doing a complete uniform overhaul, which sounded huge. But I was focused on the 49ers, so I kept that in the back of my mind.
I saw a post somewhere mentioning that the NFL sent a memo back in 2021 about new helmets starting in 2022. That got me thinking, what were the changes for this year? And then, bam, Thanksgiving 2023 rolled around, and I saw the 49ers, along with the Lions and Cowboys, were all in on these new helmets. They looked pretty slick on the field, I gotta admit.
So, I kept digging. Found out that the 2024 season’s lineup includes the five safest helmets ever tested. That’s a big deal! They’ve got 12 new models, and eight of them are position-specific. It’s all about giving the players the best protection, which is awesome. Then I was thinking about the history of NFL helmets. Like, back in the 1920s, they used soft leather. Crazy, right? The game has changed so much, and the gear has changed right along with it.
I read something about Jeff Miller, some VP at the NFL, talking about how these new caps have made players safer. He said they saw a 50% decrease in concussions for players wearing them in certain positions. That’s huge! So, they decided to have all players wear them in the preseason. Makes sense, right?
I also learned a bit about San Francisco’s Million Dollar Backfield. Ever heard of them? One of the players, McElhenny, his number 39 is retired by the 49ers, and he’s in their Hall of Fame. That’s some serious history right there. I like this part because it is so interesting to look back to the team’s history and think about the history of the helmets.
After all that, I decided I had to get one of these new helmets for myself. I mean, it’s not just about looking cool, it’s about the safety and all the history behind it. So I went ahead and ordered one.
When it finally arrived, I was stoked. Put it on, and it felt great. It’s not just a hat, it’s a piece of football history, you know?
So yeah, that’s my story about the 49ers helmet for 2023. It was a fun little journey, learning about the new designs, the safety improvements, and a bit of the team’s history. Pretty cool, huh?