Hines Ward GU Superbowl Helmet in HA

[bgakladd]

If the photos are magnified and zoomed in on the facemask clips they show a code date of 86 in the circle. From what I am familiar with is that would indicate the year of 1986. They do look like the style used back in the 80's.

[bgakladd]

If the photos are magnified and zoomed in on the facemask clips they show a code date of 86 in the circle. From what I am familiar with is that would indicate the year of 1986. They do look like the style used back in the 80's.

Forgot to mention that I was referring to the helmet listed in the auction. Use their zoom magnification and it will show what I mean.

[tom1315]

Great thread and discussion. As stated earlier always do your homework…rear warning decal and side clips are wrong…maybe a back-up or one worn by him still yet the SB decal applied?

Tom

Go Pack! NC State 1981 alumni

[helmets]

If the photos are magnified and zoomed in on the facemask clips they show a code date of 86 in the circle. From what I am familiar with is that would indicate the year of 1986. They do look like the style used back in the 80's.

Two things that I noticed in looking at this helmet.
The rear padding of this VSR4 is older - from the late 90's. If you look at the rear bumper on the outside of the helmet, you'll notice there is no "ridge" at the bottom of the bumper. Riddell changed this design in roughly 1998 or so due to the rear bumper curling back towards the inside of the helmet. Ward's SB helmet had the ridge, as most every VSR4 helmet did by 2009.
There Is a "99" on the Adams chinstrap on the right side lower strap. Adams used to put the year on their chinstraps as well as their name. The names were removed from both sides of this chinstrap, but not the "99" from the right side. I find it hard to believe that he would be wearing a chinstrap from 10 years earlier, however it provides another match opportunity.

IMO the helmet could be a Steelers gamer - perhaps even belonging to Ward at one point. However, the older clips, chinstrap, and most importantly the rear bumper of the helmet clearly indicate that this helmet is from much earlier than 2009.

[bgakladd]

Great thread and discussion. As stated earlier always do your homework…rear warning decal and side clips are wrong…maybe a back-up or one worn by him still yet the SB decal applied?

Tom

Go Pack! NC State 1981 alumni

.....still yet the SB decal applied. Good question, the #92 James Harrison Steelers SuperBowl XLIII helmet that sold for astronomical numbers had black trim around the SuperBowl decal, this Hines Ward helmet does not have the black trim, it is white on the edges. Still strange that those decals don't even line up.

[bgakladd]

The Hines Ward helmet was pulled out of the auction.

[1yountfan]

Looks like the jersey has been pulled too.