The Cincinnati Bengals Take the NFL by Storm With Their All-White Uniforms
Published Nov. 27 2022, 9:30 a.m. ET
In a thrilling Week Four matchup against the Miami Dolphins, the Cincinnati Bengals switched things up — how so? Well, for the first time in franchise history, the defending AFC North champions wore alternate white helmets on the football field. Not only that, but their uniforms and specific parts of the field (including the logo in the endzone) were white as well.
Since debuting the look during that Sept. 29 game, the Bengals stuck to their original uniforms; however, the all-white ensemble made its long-awaited return for the Bengals' 37-30 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 20, 2022. We don't know about you, but we hope this getup is here to stay because the Bengals are undefeated in it!
While celebrating this incredible feat, we decided to research the answer to one of the NFL's most-asked questions: Why are the Bengals wearing white? Keep reading to find out.
Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Chidobe Awuzie shows off the team's all-white uniform.
Why are the Cincinnati Bengals wearing white?
In 2016, the Bengals unveiled their all-white "color rush" alternate uniform. At the time, the team's equipment manager, Adam Knollman, stated that the jerseys were "inspired by the Cincinnati Zoo's famous white tigers and feature a sleek, classic design that will stand out in the primetime lights."
Nearly two years later, the NFL discontinued the color rush promotion, and thus, the uniforms were no more. That's sad, right? Wrong! As it turns out, many Bengals fans were ecstatic about this since they wouldn't have to see their team look silly on the field (thanks to their bright orange helmet).
Luckily, the necessary change arrived just in time for the 2022-23 season. In June 2021, the NFL announced that it had repealed its "one-helmet rule" and would allow teams to have an alternate helmet. As expected, the Bengals jumped at the opportunity and unveiled a black-striped white helmet via Twitter on July 22, 2022.
A few days after debuting the white helmet, the Bengals offered fans the chance to learn more about it in a video titled "The Tale of the White Bengal." In the two-and-a-half-minute clip, we discover that a wizard (in this case, the one-helmet rule) kept the team from donning the "striped crown ... one of immense power that looked as though it was made of white gold."
Bengals fans aren't afraid to show their love for the all-white uniform.
During the Bengals game against the Dolphins on Sept. 29, 2022, all anyone could talk about on social media was the all-white ensemble. OK, but can you blame them? The uniform, especially the helmet, is absolutely jaw-dropping!
"Those Bengals all-white jerseys with the white helmets are fire as hell!" one fan wrote on Twitter. Another added, "The white helmets + the all-white [uniforms] + the white out in the stands = immaculate vibes, Bengals by 1000."
Following the Bengals' recent victory on Nov. 20, several fans made sure to point out that the team has yet to lose a game when wearing their white helmets ... talk about iconic. Hopefully, the Bengals can continue to pick up wins, with or without the white helmet because we desperately need to bring home our first Super Bowl title!