According to multiple sources, the Cleveland Browns are permanently swapping the brown facemask on their orange helmets for a white facemask and updating their logo to reflect the change on April 17.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as executive vice president J.W. Johnson openly discussed the process on social media after the Browns wore white facemasks during a 13-3 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Dec. 17, 2022.
Cleveland originally wore white facemasks from 1975-95, as well as upon their return as an expansion franchise from 1999-2005. The franchise’s primary logo also reflected that design during those seasons.
When the Browns moved to a gray facemask in 2006 as part of their 60th anniversary celebration, the logo changed again, just like it did when they switched to a brown facemask as part of a new uniform set in 2015.
The brown facemask remained when Cleveland returned to a classic look in 2020, though the Browns notably wore a gray facemask three times in 2021 as part of their 1946 throwback uniforms.
They also wore white facemasks during a 13-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last November. And with that victory, the cries from fans wanting the white facemasks to return in a full-time capacity only grew louder.
Additionally, the looming update was teased when New Era revealed the hats for the 2024 NFL Draft last month, as the only Browns hat available for purchase was the grayscale version.
While it’s hardly noticeable to the casual viewer, the grayscale version of their current logo would use a dark facemask, while the version displayed on the hat includes a lighter facemask.
Cleveland is now one of five teams set to unveil a new/updated logo and/or uniforms this month, joining the Detroit Lions (April 18), Denver Broncos (April 22), Houston Texans (April 23) and New York Jets, who we’ll have news regarding momentarily.
