Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

[Jacuzzi]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Were the "noodle" tubes in the RTS originally clear? Or were they always of a yellow color?

I'm fairly certain that they were a creme color (like surgical tubing) when new.

[War Helmets]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Great to see something about NFL helmets on this Baseball dominated site.Been looking for a GU Raiders helmet of any player from late 70's through the 80's and it looks hopeless.About ready to give up rickwood35180@gmail.com

[mrclean08]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Were the "noodle" tubes in the RTS originally clear? Or were they always of a yellow color?

[princip]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

I've attached a couple of scans of my Rawlings Bengals helmet. I know there was a larger "Rawlings" font used on some front bumpers for some players but I was told that it may be best to look for the "smaller" font.

Jim

Love the look of the perforated padding in that helmet.

[princip]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Fantastic Bengals helmet Jim!

I finally got my hands on a true Seahawks Rawlings RTS gamer. Padding was pretty much non-existent, no surprise there. However, that wonderfully generic Seahawks wordmark front pad and early 80s decals(over screw/rivets) are ever so present.

[yosef777]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Great Bengals Rawlings helmet but that is the HND-9 model not the RTS model. The HND-9 was a staple in the Rawlings catalog from the 1950's through the early 80's. It was discontinued and replaced by the ANFL model around 1982 and later the RTS model in about 1985. Both the ANFL model and RTS had the large font and nose bumper as well as vinyl interiors (opposed to HND-9 leather ones). I included a photo of the a Bears ANFL for comparison and I believe Marino wore the ANFL with the Dolphins

[cohibasmoker]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

I've attached a couple of scans of my Rawlings Bengals helmet. I know there was a larger "Rawlings" font used on some front bumpers for some players but I was told that it may be best to look for the "smaller" font.

Jim

[princip]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

I'm pretty sure this predates the NFL's current deal with Riddell that mandates teams cover up logos on helmets from other brands like we have today; I don't think that started until the late 1980s or early 1990s. That being said, it seems like some teams started covering up the manufacturer logos on all their helmets there during the early 1980s, but it really was on a team-by-team basis, and it wasn't necessarily consistent so a team might cover them for a year or two, then leave them uncovered for another year or two.

If your NFL team Rawlings RTS helmet does have the team's wordmark across the frontpad/nameplate, pretty good indictator it was issued to the team directly from Rawlings, and not available to the general public?

[John in KY]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

The weird thing is that these front pads aren't covered over Rawlings. They are actually printed/embossed with the team name. The letters are actually indented like they were made with a punch.

I think the Riddell agreement with the NFL was in 1992?

That sort of explains the generic, same font, for the Vikings and Colts helmets. Looks like it could be the case for Franco's lid as well.

Very cool feature - I sure didn't pick up that these were printed this way from the factory from the photos. I agree with princip - good explanation for the generic font instead of a team logo on these.

Rawlings is still using an odd-sized bumper, but on the new ones the bumper it actually a bit narrower than what is found on Riddell or Schutt helmets, plus they essentially have an oval hole cut out of them leaving a raised "R" inside the oval part.

[princip]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Wow, very cool.

That sort of explains the generic, same font, for the Vikings and Colts helmets. Looks like it could be the case for Franco's lid as well.

[princip]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

The weird thing is that these front pads aren't covered over Rawlings. They are actually printed/embossed with the team name. The letters are actually indented like they were made with a punch.

I think the Riddell agreement with the NFL was in 1992?

Wow, very cool.

[Jacuzzi]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

The weird thing is that these front pads aren't covered over Rawlings. They are actually printed/embossed with the team name. The letters are actually indented like they were made with a punch.

I think the Riddell agreement with the NFL was in 1992?

[princip]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

I'm pretty sure this predates the NFL's current deal with Riddell that mandates teams cover up logos on helmets from other brands like we have today; I don't think that started until the late 1980s or early 1990s. That being said, it seems like some teams started covering up the manufacturer logos on all their helmets there during the early 1980s, but it really was on a team-by-team basis, and it wasn't necessarily consistent so a team might cover them for a year or two, then leave them uncovered for another year or two.

When Franco wore his RTS, while with the Hawks in 1984, his lid had the Seahawks wordmark on the front nameplate/sweatband. Thing is, that Rawlings logo/wordmark is so big, they must have used an extra large decal, or spray paint to cover it up?

[John in KY]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Thanks for remembering Vikingshelmetguy. I picked up in that group a Chiefs, Oilers and Colts as well. Of the Rawlings I picked up, One Vikings the Chiefs and Colts all Had the team name on the forehead pad. Does anyone know why some of them have this and some don't? I also added a pickure of Bert Jones and Earl Campbell wearing 'em.

I'm pretty sure this predates the NFL's current deal with Riddell that mandates teams cover up logos on helmets from other brands like we have today; I don't think that started until the late 1980s or early 1990s. That being said, it seems like some teams started covering up the manufacturer logos on all their helmets there during the early 1980s, but it really was on a team-by-team basis, and it wasn't necessarily consistent so a team might cover them for a year or two, then leave them uncovered for another year or two.

[Jacuzzi]

Re: Rawlings RTS - NFL Helmets

Thanks for remembering Vikingshelmetguy. I picked up in that group a Chiefs, Oilers and Colts as well. Of the Rawlings I picked up, One Vikings the Chiefs and Colts all Had the team name on the forehead pad. Does anyone know why some of them have this and some don't? I also added a pickure of Bert Jones and Earl Campbell wearing 'em.