Cleveland Browns’ 1946 Throwback Jersey Leaks On eBay

Back in January, Cleveland Browns executive vice president and co-owner J.W. Johnson announced the team will wear alternate uniforms during the 2021 season as part of the team’s 75th anniversary celebration.

“We will have an alternate uniform this year, so all the uniform heads out there that try to come up with them on social media can have a little fun now if they’re listening to see what they can come up with,” Johnson said. “We will have a nice alternate to be able to present to everybody at some point for the 75th anniversary.”

It was unclear at this time what direction Cleveland would go with the throwback uniforms, especially since the Browns’ look has remained relatively consistent throughout their history. But eBay user “originaljersey81,” the same person whose listings include the Cincinnati Bengals’ new jerseys, gave us our first glimpse of the throwback jersey on Sunday afternoon.

The white jersey features Cleveland’s traditional striping pattern but also includes brown numbers with an orange drop shadow, replicating the uniforms the Browns wore in their inaugural season in 1946. It also includes a special football-shaped patch with that year on the left shoulder.

The most interesting part of the leak is that Cleveland wore white helmets from 1946-51, but the Browns won’t be able to recreate the full look unless the NFL relaxes its one-helmet rule. Could that be a sign of things to come? We’ll see.

Photos courtesy of originaljersey81 on eBay.