The Detroit Lions this afternoon unveiled their new alternate helmet, the first in franchise history.
The Honolulu Blue lid will be worn for two games during the upcoming 2023 NFL season — the Week 8 Monday Nighter against Las Vegas and again for the final regular season game of the year when they face the Minnesota Vikings. The Lions will only wear this new helmet with their all-silver alternate uniform set.
It’s the first time an NFL team has worn a shell in this particular hue of blue, says the Lions, paired with a matte grey facemask. In another first, the helmet features the throwback Lions’ primary logo of the 1960s on either side, the first time the team has worn this logo on their helmets.
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The throwback logo was used by the Lions in the 1960s and into the mid-1970s, at the time appearing most often on trading cards and official team publications such as media guides.
The Lions say the helmet colour was chosen to symbolize the future (with the “never before worn in the NFL” shell colour) while also celebrating the team’s 90th season in 2023 by using the throwback logo on the side. The matte facemask is in “Lions signature Detroit grey,” and as mentioned earlier will only be paired with the like-coloured grey uniform.
So… why do the Lions, located in Michigan, even wear a shade of blue named after the capital city of a Pacific island paradise such as Honolulu?
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The distinctive shade of blue was specially developed for former Lions owner G.A. Richards; according to VintageDetroit.com, he selected the colour “after admiring the hue of the Pacific Ocean on a trip to Hawaii.” A much better way to remember your vacation than sharing photos with uninterested friends.
Detroit’s 2023 NFL season will kick off with an opening week trip to Kansas City to watch the Super Bowl champs raise their banner on September 7th.