The Cincinnati Bengals are the latest team to take advantage of the NFL’s relaxed rules that allow teams to wear multiple helmets in a single season. It’s a move fans have been waiting for for years.
The team unveiled a 32-second teaser advertisement on social media to announce its alternate helmets will match the white-on-white uniforms that began life as the team’s Color Rush kits before being phased in as the team’s primary away getup. Cincinnati’s calling it the “White Bengal,” which isn’t especially creative but gets the point across while simultaneously sounding like a Zoolander look, so it works.
When The Jungle yells Who Dey, the #WhiteBengal comes to prey.
Presented by Swift Meats pic.twitter.com/ZeaaHyVR6Y
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 14, 2022
The team’s announcement was cryptic and didn’t have too many images of the actual helmet. Thankfully, Pro Football Focus was ready with a quick and easy edit:
The Bengals have announced an alternate “White Bengal” helmet to be worn next season ❄️❄️❄️ pic.twitter.com/PUmayA2Xkx
— PFF (@PFF) July 14, 2022
That whole look is precise. White tiger stripes are a draw, as anyone who dropped cash on Siegfried and Roy tickets during their 22-year run in Las Vegas can attest. The minor orange highlights in the chest, introduced to the formerly two-toned jerseys last season, pop even more with black-and-white helmets. And since last season’s uniform change led to a positive outcome on the field, there’s no harm in another tweak, especially when it looks this good.
On the other hand, orange stripes are uniquely the Bengals’ thing, which is always going to create a little cognitive dissonance when the White Bengal lids come out in 2022. Additionally, the team’s throwback helmets, seen here:
🚨🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨🚨
Ring of Honor inductees coming next week. Who's going to join Ken Anderson up on the ring? pic.twitter.com/ZO9b4fKLXJ
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 13, 2022
are kinda great, too.
Still, there’s plenty of time to bring back the Ken Anderson-era helmets and it’s not like white helmets are going to be the norm this fall. The Bengals took a good-looking kit and made it better with a sleek change of pace. This is a combination befitting the reigning AFC champs.
