Kelly Green Could Be Back for Eagles

No, that's not the name of a player, but a color scheme that fans seem to go ga-ga over, but could now become a reality after NFL announcement

PHILADELPHIA - Nostalgia can be a powerful drug for a fan, and when it comes to the Eagles, nothing sparks a sentimental, wistful affection for the past like the color kelly green.

The NFL on Thursday approved a measure to allow alternate helmets to be used beginning in the 2022 season, potentially paving the way for the return of kelly green throwback uniforms for the Birds.

“This alternate color helmet must only be worn together with one of the club’s authorized optional uniforms (Classic, Alternate, and/or Color Rush),” a memo sent to the league's 32 teams and obtained by Si.com's Eagle Maven stated. 

“If the alternate color helmet is paired with a Classic uniform, the alternate color helmet colors and designs must be historically accurate (consistent with the historically accurate uniform).”

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The Eagles wore the popular uniform combination in the late 1980s and early 1990s during the days of Reggie White, Randall Cunningham, Seth Joyner, Clyde Simmons, and Jerome Brown.

Many fans romanticize the look when compared to the modernized midnight green the club currently wears.

Owner Jeffrey Lurie is occasionally asked about bringing back the old look but has always defaulted to the helmet legislation preventing a return.

“The whole key is we want a kelly green helmet to go with the kelly green jersey,” Lurie said in march of 2018. “We’re trying to get the league to allow a second helmet. That’s where it’s at. They very much know we want this and we want it badly."

Ostensibly, the league dragged its feet over a second helmet for safety reasons believing that fitting players correctly for just one helmet per season was a better alternative than two.

That hurdle has now been removed and presumably, the kelly green uniforms will be brought back as an alternate jersey in 2022 by Lurie and the Eagles.

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.