Why the Detroit Lions didn’t add a third, alternate helmet option

The Detroit Lions did not unveil a third alternate helmet on Thursday night. Here’s why

Earlier in April, the NFL sent a memo to teams permitting them to now have a third alternate helmet in their uniform repertoire. For teams that were going under a uniform change in 2024, they could add that third option as soon as this year. For everyone else, the third helmet could debut in 2025.

That led many to speculate that the Detroit Lions would be introducing a third helmet option during Thursday night’s new uniform reveal. And while the Lions did reveal a change to their alternate blue helmets, there was no third helmet unveiled for the upcoming season.

Team president Rod Wood offered an explanation of why during the event.

“No third helmet this year,” Wood said. “We were probably too late in the process, and it really didn’t fit with what we were rolling out.”

To be crystal clear, the Lions will have three helmet options for the 2024 season. Their normal silver helmets, the new alternate blue helmets that pair solely with the black uniforms, and the silver helmets without the decals that are traditionally paired with Detroit’s throwback uniforms (which remain in the jersey rotation). Wood clarified that the throwback helmet option does not count as a third helmet.

“That’s not a (third) helmet because that’s just our same helmet. We just take the logos off,” Wood said.

Some have been wondering if the Lions’ alternate helmet from last year—the blue helmet with the retro logo seen here—is still available for Detroit to wear. A team source confirmed that those are no longer in the rotation, as they were a nod to the 90th season for the franchise in 2023. The only blue helmet currently available is the new alternate helmet with the black logo.

For those disappointed that another alternate helmet wasn’t unveiled this year, there is some good news: Wood suggested it’s something they may add in 2025.

“Maybe next year we’ll add something and have a little twist on something,” Wood said. “But right now there was a lot going on, so we did what we did and we’ll deal with the third helmet next year.”