Initial Reactions to the Panthers' New Matte Black Helmet
The Carolina Panthers will be debuting a new alternative matte black helmet in Week 10 on Thursday night against the Atlanta Falcons. This is something the fan base has wanted to see for quite some time and with the NFL adjusting the one shell per team rule, the Panthers and others around the league have added an alternate helmet.
Here is what our staff thinks of the new lids.
Matt Welch:
These lids should be the primary helmet. They’re simple and slick and can eventually give the Panthers an easy transition away from the silver in the helmet and uniforms. It was an inevitable choice to make. Super solid.
Blake Johnson:
One simple word: incredible. I love these, honestly. The blue stripe down the middle is perfection and gives a much needed update to the Panthers uniform combo. However, I believe the opportunity for a Panther Blue helmet. Maybe down the road when the NFL inevitably allows for a “city edition” esq. type of uniform.
Matt Alquiza:
The black helmets are perfect and exactly the PR boost the Panthers need right now. Uniforms obviously don’t make a difference on the field, but the reaction to the black helmets is the most positive I’ve seen from the Panthers fan base in years. Kudos to the team for doing it right. Next up is fixing the game day atmosphere, and restoring the grass field. Bank of America Stadium was flat all last season and it wasn’t solely because of the on the field product. Here’s hoping that there’s more aesthetic change to come.
Ian Black:
Brian Burns said "Whenever a team wears all black, or black accessories, it just brings out that dog in them, the evil side” in the piece on Panthers.com, something that gets the players fired up like that will be loved by the fans.
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