The Carolina Panthers announced on Monday that linebacker and team captain Brian Burns will be the first player in franchise history to wear No. 0 – and teased a new potential uniform combination in the process.
The Panthers, who updated their uniforms this offseason to include a new shade of blue, introduced a black alternate helmet last season, pairing it with black jerseys and pants for a 25-15 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football.
Their light blue alternate jerseys, meanwhile, have only been paired with silver helmets and silver, light blue, black or white pants in the past. They made just one regular season appearance in 2022, a 30-24 loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 17.
It’s unclear if this combination will ever see the field, but it’s worth noting the Panthers have been increasingly experimental with their uniforms in recent seasons and the addition of the black helmets open the door for more possibilities.
In fact, Carolina tested out the silver helmet, light blue jersey and black pants combination in the 2018 preseason before it saw action in one regular season game each fall from 2019-21. The Panthers are 1-2 when they wear this combination.
The NFL only requires teams to wear their second helmet with an alternate or throwback uniform, so Carolina – which deemed black jerseys and pants as their Color Rush set last season – would have no issue pairing black helmets with the light blue jerseys.
Monday’s announcement also gave us our first look at the Panthers’ updated shade of blue and modified shoulder design, which continues to vary by player. The intent is for the stripes to come to a point, but some cuts of the jersey end them at the cuffs.
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Sources: Carolina Panthers To Unveil New Uniforms Prior To NFL Draft