Browns refresh their logo by simply brightening orange helmet

For the Cleveland Browns life is all about orange. The Browns unveiled a new logo today, tweaking the helmet over words logo they have used recently by giving

Tim Newcomb | Feb 24, 2015

Browns refresh their logo by simply brightening orange helmet /

For the Cleveland Browns life is all about orange.

The Browns unveiled a new logo today, tweaking the helmet over words logo they have used recently by giving the helmet a different orange color and adding brown to the facemask. The team also announced that it will follow up the fresh branding with new uniforms, which are set to be introduced April 14.

Ahead of the new logo rollout, some expected Cleveland to use an actual logo, something different from an orange helmet. History even had fans wondering if we might see a return of Brownie the Elf. Instead, we received just a different orange helmet than in the past.

“Our updated helmet logo is reflective of today’s modern Cleveland,” the team said in a statement. “The design honors the past while evolving into the future. The iconic brown and white stripes stand tall over the orange helmet -- a new orange color that matches the passion of the Dawg Pound.”

The new brown facemask is said to represent the “strength and toughness” of Cleveland.

While the new orange is “brighter and richer,” the brown color remains unchanged. The wordmark of Cleveland Browns that sits under the helmet comes in a bolder font than before.

Ugliest Uniforms in Sports History

Chicago White Sox

White Sox outfielder Ralph Garr models the shorts worn by the team for three games during the 1976 season.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates advertised these duds as a "uniform of the future" when they wore these during a 1999 game against the Mets.

Baylor Bears

Baylor's basketball team sported these blindingly-fluorescent uniforms in March 2012.

New York Islanders

It's been a rough couple of decades for Islanders fans, and this fisherman-themed third jersey didn't help matters

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

130315122602-notre-dame-uniform-tom-knight-single-image-cut.jpg — Chris Chambers/Getty Images

Notre Dame broke out its new basketball uniforms at the 2013 Big East tournament, creating a wave of criticism. The neon lime-green uniforms may have tried to associate with the Irish, but it proved the Fighting Irish should stick to their traditional colors of blue and gold.

Jorge Campos

Whatever the Mexican goalkeeper had in soccer ability, he lacked in fashion sense.

Golden State Warriors

In 2013, the Warriors went where no NBA team had gone before: over their own players' shoulders. The form-fitting yellow alternate jersey design included sleeves that went down to the mid bicep.

1994 U.S. World Cup Team

Alexi Lalas and the U.S. made it to the Round of 16 at the 1994 World Cup, but any pride the team may have felt was quickly erased with this uniform.

Vancouver Canucks

The Canucks made uniform history with these duds, which featured no logo and a "V" starting at the collar.

Denver Nuggets

The Nuggets wore "rainbow" road jerseys for nearly a decade.

Houston Astros

Joe Morgan wishes he was back in the Reds' "Big Red Machine" uniform rather than where this orange-tinted Astros dud.

Trenton Thunder

The Trenton Thunder were so excited to have Derek Jeter join the team as part of a rehab assignment in 2011, they designed these duds so he'd never forget his time there (as well as pay tribute to America).

Cleveland Indians

A pre-mustached Dennis Eckersley shows off the bright red Indians uniforms of the late '70s.

Toronto Raptors

Marcus Camby and Damon Stoudamire probably weren't celebrating the Raptors' imposing dinosaur in March 1997.

Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

The Disney-owned Ducks never shied away from promoting a particular movie franchise. In 1995-96, the uniform designers must've thought the studio was releasing a a mash-up between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Slap Shot . Thankfully, these were shelved after just one season.

Los Angeles Kings

Even Wayne Gretzky couldn't look good in the Kings' short lived "Burger King" third jersey from the 1995-96 season.

Phoenix Coyotes

The Coyotes wore these Picasso-inspired third jerseys for five seasons.

Colorado Rockies

Larry Walker shows off this "futuristic" Rockies uniform, which the team wore for one game during the 1999 season.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs' creamsicle jerseys and logo nicknamed Bucco Bruce may have been anything but intimidating, but at least that didn't stop Lee Roy Selmon (63).

San Diego Padres

Dave Winfield probably couldn't wait to don Yankee pinstripes over these duds.

New Orleans Hornets

These Mardi Gras-inspired uniforms might have been too flashy for the NBA in 2012.

Montreal Canadiens

In 2009, Montreal wore "barber pole" retro third jerseys featuring the distinctive look of narrow red, white and blue horizontal bands used by the team in 1912-13.

Pittsburgh Steelers

In honor of the franchise's 80th season, the Steelers brought back these throwback uniforms in 2012.

Denver Broncos

In 2009, the Broncos rolled out their original, yellow-and-brown uniforms as part of the NFL's celebration of the 50th anniversary of the AFL.

Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks opened eyes in 2009 when they debuted a lime-green jersey. They lasted one game and were dropped by then-coach Jim Mora because "we didn't win in them."

Washington Wizards

The Wizards, who many fans consider to have at one time had the best uniforms in NBA history, were at the opposite side of the spectrum with this gold and black alternate jersey worn from 2006 to 2009.

Maryland Terrapins

Maryland defeated Miami 32-24, but the game was secondary to the debut of Maryland's new uniforms in 2011. The Terrapins wore white uniforms patterned after the state flag and helmets splashed with red and white on one side and black and yellow on the other.

Philadelphia Eagles

There was definitely a reason the Eagles switched to green in the 1940s and have stuck with it since.

Jose Canseco

Canseco isn't the worst memory of the Rays' early days. It was their uniforms.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns returned to their "working-class origins" with these uniforms, which also come in brown and white.

This, the 30th anniversary of the Dawg Pound, was reason enough to change that group’s logo, too. The old-school animal face was refreshed with a modern, growling dog over the words Dawg Pound, all set in a box full of the new orange.

Don’t expect any major changes for the helmet. While we’ll see the brighter orange mostly on our television screens replacing the older orange helmet, the April uniform reveal will continue to give us a logo-less helmet.

Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, design and gear for Sports Illustrated. Follow him on Twitter at @tdnewcomb.

Published Feb 24, 2015

TIM NEWCOMB

Based in the Pacific Northwest, Tim Newcomb covers stadiums, sneakers, design, training and technology across all sports.