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Shoulder Pads & Uniforms
During this year, the first under the jersey shoulder pads were produced. These pads were made of heavy leather and held in place with elastic straps. Due to the harsh weather up North, the uniforms consisted of canvas pants and thick wool or cotton shirts. -
Cleats & Helmets
Removable cleats were developed allowing players to adjust the length of the cleat for various field conditions. The helmet improved to hardened leather, greatly reducing the effects of head concussions. -
Helmets & Mouthguard's
Plastic helmets were introduced into the game. These helmets were made of sturdier plastic and more padding. During this time, the NFL made it mandatory that all players where helmets. In the late 1940s, the mouthguard was created. This was super important because before this 1/2 of all injury's involved a player's mouth and/or teeth. -
Logos
Logos made their first appearance on uniforms including the helmet which made it much easier for fans to follow especially on black and white tv's. This new addition came after Fred Gehrke painted horns on his L.A. Rams helmet. -
Uniform Design & Face masks
Team uniforms began using brighter colors and designs. Many teams used this in addition to the logo as a way to rebrand their team. Face masks were also added to the helmet design as a way to reduce injury.
