Pass or fail: Panthers unveil sleek black alternate helmets

Liz Roscher

'Tis the season of NFL helmet and uniform unveilings, and the Carolina Panthers set the internet on fire Tuesday when they introduced their new alternate helmet.

It's matte black, with two teal stripes running down the center and the team logo outlined in teal on the sides.

The helmet will be paired with their all-black color rush uniforms, and the whole ensemble looks sleek and more panther-like than before.

Several Panthers players are hyped about the new headwear, and with good reason: wearing the black uniform with the black helmets helps them get into a different kind of competition mode.

"Sometimes guys tap into an alter ego depending on what they're wearing," DE Brian Burns said via Panthers.com. "Whenever a team wears all black, or black accessories, it just brings out that dog in them, the evil side.

"When I saw this, I was like, 'This will be tough.' Especially on defense, they call us the dark side anyway, so it brings it all together."

The helmets with the black uniforms debut on Nov. 10 against the Atlanta Falcons, and safety Jeremy Chinn, who had to keep the new helmets a secret from all his teammates, knows they'll make a difference in how everyone feels going into that game.

"Oh yeah, it matters. It sets the tone," Chinn said. "Guys will be fired up, for sure. I know fans have wanted it for a long time.

"The all-black is one of my favorite uniforms anyway. So this is like the icing on top."

As Chinn said, fans have wanted a black helmet for awhile now. And now that it's a reality, they've fallen head-over-heels for it.

The fans love it, but what do you think? Pass or fail?

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