Why did the Cowboys use a red stripe on the helmet in the game vs Broncos?

The helmets of the Dallas Cowboys bore a slightly different design for their Week 9 game at home against the Denver Broncos.

The head gear traditionally has blue and white stripes running down the middle, but this time there was a red one. The team sported the red-white-and-blue to honor the United States military and National Medal of Honor recipients as part of the NFL’s “Salute to Service” campaign.

NFL Patriotism

The last time the Cowboys wore this design was in the 1976 NFL season for the country’s bicentennial celebration.

“This will truly be a special day for all of us as we salute the men and women around the world who protect and defend our country,” according to a statement by Cowboys executive vice president and chair of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.

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“We are honored to have our Medal of Honor recipients in attendance, representing the 3,508 recipients of the nation’s most prestigious military decoration, who made heroic sacrifices, many the ultimate sacrifice, while preserving our freedom.

“The red stripes on the helmet provides a beautiful ribbon to wrap around this salute to those who currently serve our country’s military- and the patriotic love and appreciation that we all share for those who came before.”

Program to honor the men and women in uniform

The NFL’s “Salute to Service” campaign “is a year-round effort to honor, empower, and connect our nation’s service members, veterans, and their families,” per the league’s website. The league holds special games for the program every year, and conducts visits to military bases at home and abroad.

The project involves partnership with organizations that support the country’s military community, using love of football as common ground.

The NFL has raised more than $51 million for its military nonprofit partners since the program began ten years ago.