“Are Those Leather?”: Fans React as Green Bay Packers Unveil Their New Throwback Helmets

The Green Bay Packers may have just delivered one of the most striking tributes to football history we’ve seen in recent years.

For the past four seasons, Green Bay has leaned into the 1950s look for its annual throwback game. Before that, they revived uniforms from 1940 and 1929. But for this upcoming season, the franchise unveiled its 1923-style throwback uniforms.

This marks the first time they’ve dug all the way back to the 1923 season, a year that predates Lambeau Field, the Super Bowl, and much of what we associate with modern pro football. But despite the significance, it was the helmets that stole the spotlight.

It’s no secret that today’s league is dominated by sleek, chrome, and matte finishes. But the Packers went in a completely different direction, unveiling brown helmets designed to resemble the leather caps worn a century ago.

But to be clear, no, they’re not real leather. NFL rules prohibit the use of anything other than modern, safety-rated materials in helmets. However, visually, they’re spot on because brown, scuffed-texture paint mimics the original headgear, complete with vintage detailing.

It’s a nod so faithful to history that one fan immediately started asking: “Are those actually leather?” Among the rest, however, the reaction to the Green Bay Packers’ throwback jersey was divisive.

While some understood the memo — “Grit meets heritage. This kit screams violence in silence just like the legends who wore it before,” wrote a fan — many didn’t. For these fans, the jersey and the helmet simply didn’t look that good.

“Them sh*ts ugly af,” commented an “X” user. “That sh*t trash, they stop gonna cry about the tush push at the end of the season,” brutally added another.

That said, kudos to the Green Bay Packers for their design choice because it marks the first time in modern NFL history that a team has worn helmets painted to evoke the leather era. While Illinois attempted something similar last year for the 100th anniversary of Memorial Stadium, that was a one-off in the college ranks.

So what the Packers have done here is set a new bar in authenticity by blending storytelling with aesthetics, and football heritage with present-day excitement. Because the essence of the 1923 throwback kit also matches the moment, evidenced by navy blue jerseys with dark gold numbers and stripes, tan pants, and navy socks, all styled after what the team wore during the early days of the NFL.

As of now, the Packers haven’t revealed which game on the 2025 schedule will feature the new uniforms, but logically, expect it to be during a home game at Lambeau Field, where the atmosphere will add even more weight to the occasion.

Regardless of the date, one thing is already clear: the Green Bay Packers aren’t just tapping into nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake. This is about identity, pride, and honoring the team’s 100-year climb from leather helmets to Lombardi trophies, even if fans feel otherwise.