Finally Some Good News! Eagles Can Wear Kelly Green Throwback Helmets
It’s been quite a week in Philadelphia sports. Nothing but soul-shattering moments that make us rethink the past and question the future. Devastating losses that put us in an identity crisis and the feeling of being tarred and feather while walking naked through the streets of Kings Landing.
But then this tweet arrived.
NFL approved alternate helmets today for teams wearing throwback uniforms starting in 2022, per league sources. This opens the door to the defending world-champion Bucs wearing the old white helmets with the orange swashbuckling Buccaneer as early as 2022.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 24, 2021
Finally! Some good news!
With this announcement NFL teams are at last allowed to wear different helmet decals when wearing throwback uniforms.
Which means the Eagles can finally, FINALLY, wear the kelly green throwback helmets and jerseys next year.
While a lot of NFL teams have embraced throwback uniforms, the Eagles have been unable to because donning throwbacks requires them to change their helmet decal as well, something that was not allowed by the No Fun League.
It’s time. https://t.co/DabdRDbMjR pic.twitter.com/h9mH69Kvn3
— Life of a Philly Fan (@PhillyFanLife) June 24, 2021
Since the Birds swapped kelly green for midnight green in 1996, the team has rarely worn throwbacks. For their 75th anniversary they wore the infamous yellow and light blue uniforms to honor their 1933 roots.
But three years later the Eagles got way better throwbacks when celebrating the 50th anniversary of the 1960 NFL championship team in Week 1 against the Packers. Although the Eagles lost the game, it’s famous for quickly ending the Kevin Kolb Era and beginning the Mike Vick experience.
However since that game the Eagles have not worn throwback helmets or uniforms. While the Birds have been far more successful since switching to midnight green a quarter century ago, making more Super Bowls in that jersey, fans still pine to see the kelly green again.
The simplicity and brightness of that color inspires waves of nostalgia and childhood memories (memories for those over the age of 40.) Ron Jaworski, Wilbert Montgomery, Harold Carmichael, Randall Cunningham, Reggie White, Jerome Brown, all of them wore that simpler colored helmet and jersey that made them Philly legends.
For those who grew up with the kelly green they at least tolerate the midnight green, but it’s just not the same. Bringing the kelly green throwback helmets and jerseys back starting in the 2022 should kick off a new Eagles tradition. During a time where morale is for the Birds, having those throwbacks for a game or two will certainly boost it. And as much as I like the black uniforms I would gladly get rid of those to make kelly green the alternative uniform.
Should the kelly green become the new permanent jerseys? Probably not, because at the end of the day the midnight green represents a lot more winning and championship success than the days of the kelly green. But when those jerseys do pop back out fans will immediately embrace them, not to mention the loads of money the team will make in throwback jersey sales.