Getty Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills looks on as he walks off the field after defeating the New England Patriots 33-21 at Gillette Stadium on December 26, 2021 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
After two weeks of training camp at St. John Fisher University, the Buffalo Bills returned to Orchard Park on Friday, August 5 for the highly-anticipated “Red & Blue” practice. The Buffalo News reported that over “70,000 tickets were distributed” for the annual event, and quarterback Josh Allen made sure to give the fans in attendance a huge surprise.
Allen ran through the tunnel at Highmark Stadium rocking a red helmet which caused an uproar from the crowd and an absolute frenzy on Twitter. The team’s official Twitter account shared a video of his entrance on Friday and wrote, “What’s better than @JoshAllenQB? Josh Allen in a red helmet.😍”
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What’s better than @JoshAllenQB?
Josh Allen in a red helmet. 😍 #BillsMafia
Most people on Twitter were absolutely thrilled to see Allen rocking the throwback helmet, as fans were hoping the Bills would be one of the teams sporting alternate helmets at some point during the 2022 season. However, when ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed the 14 teams participating in the throwback editions, Buffalo was not one of the teams listed.
This is the one!
Red helmet Josh Allen is 🔥🔥🔥
SB Nation tweeted on Friday, “Josh Allen ran out with a red helmet tonight… The hearts of lots of #Bills fans stopped and restarted.”
Former Bills receiver Cole Beasley couldn’t help but comment on Allen’s new look. Beasley tweeted, “Those helmets are 🔥🔥🔥.”
However, not all fans want to see the red helmets make a comeback. One fan tweeted, “It’s hideous,” while numerous members of Bills Mafia feel the helmet needs a few more tweaks to be game day ready. “It looks incomplete without a white stripe,” one man commented, while another person tweeted, “Great look as a proof of concept, but gotta get that striping right.”
#Bills’ Josh Allen reacts to having his red helmet taken from him ahead of tonight’s practice. #BillsMafia
Allen’s time in the much-adored throwback helmet was short-lived. Before practice got underway, a trainer made him put on a white helmet instead. In a video that captured of the switch out, fans booed and flashed a thumbs-down sign.
The Bills Won’t Be Allowed to Rock the Red Helmet This Season
The good news for those who despise the red helmets, the NFL’s current rules won’t allow the Bills to wear them during the 2022 NFL season. WGR 550 reporter Sal Capaccio tweeted on Friday, “Spoke to Bills COO Ron Raccuia who told me the red helmet Josh Allen wore won’t be a helmet they wear in 2022 because the league only allows an alternate helmet with either: 1. Throwback unis 2. Color rush/alternate unis.”
“Bills can’t wear red helmet with the throwbacks because the throwbacks use the standing buffalo while the red Josh had on is the charging buffalo. No match,” Capaccio wrote in a follow-up tweet. “Their color rush unis are all red. Can’t use it with those because all red head/toe is not their preferred look.”
Capaccio added, “So the Bills will either wait until the NFL changes policy and allows an alternate helmet with regular home/away uniforms, or wait to unveil a new alternate uniform themselves.”
The Bills’ Twitter Account Called Out Allen for Having ‘Tricked Everyone’
For fans who love the ’90s-style Bills uniforms, they’ll have to wait until the NFL changes its rules regarding helmets before they make an official comeback. The team’s official Twitter account blamed Allen for rousing up hope the team would be announcing the return of the red helmet.
Disclaimer: Josh Allen tricked everyone (including the social media admin) and we’re sticking with the white helmets this season.
Please direct all feedback to your favorite QB, @JoshAllenQB. 😂 #BillsMafia
The Bills tweeted, “Disclaimer: Josh Allen tricked everyone (including the social media admin) and we’re sticking with the white helmets this season. Please direct all feedback to your favorite QB, @JoshAllenQB. 😂.”
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