Browns look to past to set tone for future with alternative white helmet, uniforms

The Cleveland Browns will lean into tradition this upcoming season when they don white helmets for the first time since 1950. They wore them for their first six years in existence.

“Some traditions are destined to return,” a narrator states in a video reintroducing the helmets and uniform, which will serve as part of a "white out series."

While the video mentions the disrespect the team endured upon entry into the NFL in 1950 with those lids, what the team will debut on national television Sept. 2 against archrival Pittsburgh are not purely white.

The video shows tight end David Njoku in a white jersey with brown and orange numerals with matching stripes on the sleeves. It complements white pants with vertical striping. The helmet is mostly white with three fairly decent-sized strips — brown, orange and brown — down the center.

They will appear again Week 6 against the San Francisco 49ers and then in Week 17 against the New York Jets.

It’s clear the hype is beginning to set yet another different tone with the Browns, a team that’s not been able to find any consistency since its return to the NFL.

NBA superstar LeBron James, who hails from Akron, was among those expressing excitement over the white helmets.

"That's what I'm talking about!!" he said with fire emojis in an Instagram story sharing the NFL's post.

"We're super fired up and really excited to have this opportunity to wear an alternate helmet," executive vice president and partner JW Johnson said. "We decided to go with the white helmet for a couple reasons — it harkens back to our past, and a lot of our greatest players wore white helmets. We also heard from our fans that it was the direction they wanted. We always want to continue having great fan interaction and deliver for them as much as we possibly can."

Leaning into their past, going back to entry to the league when the Browns dominated and won the NFL title in their first season, would certainly send a message to their fans that they plan to change their fortunes.

Is the opportunity there? Possibly. The team will have the seventh-easiest schedule in the NFL with upcoming opponents compiling a 131-154-2 record last season.

With the arguably the league's No. 1 running back in Nick Chubb, one of the premier edge rushers in the NFL in Myles Garrett, a solid defensive backfield and many believing embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson can return to form, it is possible they have a shot.

It will take more than a new helmet and uniforms, however.

USA TODAY Sports' Victoria Hernandez contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Browns new white helmet a nod to the past