In the more than 30 years we have been doing this, rarely does an NFL game used helmet from the 1960's or 1970's pop up that we haven't seen before.  It is getting to the point that most of the helmets that survived from more than 40-50 years ago have been discovered.  We have seen them in peoples collections or they keep getting "recycled" from one major auction house to the next.  Next time an older NFL helmet is offered through a major auction house, Google the helmet.  Chances are it will pop up from a previous sale through a different auction house.  Not this helmet.  This one is fresh.  This one is special.  Consigned from a collector and long-time owner of the helmet.  

Game used Washington Redskins Dennis Johnson Riddell Kra-Lite TK suspension helmet.  Johnson, a defensive tackle and 13th round draft pick out of Delaware, played for the 'Skins from 1974 through the 1977 season. He was a starting Defensive Tackle from his second season until his days in Washington were done following the 1977 season.   The helmet is original, and is unaltered or modified in any way.  The massive 7 5/8 sized helmet has a date code on the interior of 1972 but was worn for several seasons before popping a suspension rivet bringing it's end of service.   The helmet was used by Johnson when he came into the league in 1974 but is unknown if it was used by another player during the '72 or '73 seasons. What is known is that with the 1971 manufacturing date code, it was one of the first Redskins crimson colored helmets after their switch from the Lombardi yellow helmets. Due to the huge size, it may have sat on a shelf until the team drafted a player with a head large enough to use it.   It shows heavy wear on both the exterior and interior of the helmet. The original leather jawpads are also heavily worn - most likely original to the helmets first days and used for several seasons by Johnson.    The rubber crown piece is missing - as often is the case, but are easily found and easily replaced if the new owner chooses to do so.   The helmet is complete including the original chinstrap, the original suspension, original leather jawpads, and the original Schutt NJOP heavily worn model facemask.  The mask is "temporarily" attached to the helmet but again the new owner could certainly secure the mask using reproduction clips - as all helmets from this era require due to original clips becoming brittle and breaking. 

The striping and side logos are original to the helmet.  They are positioned properly, and adhered to the helmet with the right decal lifting slightly at the crown - (a bit common for the oversized round Redskins logos from this period) and the left decal heavily damaged from game play.  The center strip and the left side stripe are missing from the helmet. Perhaps removed during the reconditioning process of the helmet - only to find the popped suspension rivet and rejecting the helmet. Again the new buyer can choose if these stripes should be replaced, or the helmet left as it is which was how our consignor preferred it.  

The rear of the helmet has Johnson's #61 player identifier proudly flanking each side stripe.  Were they carefully placed above the Riddell heat stamps?  Nah, the equipment staff just slapped them on right over the stamps!   In addition to the 1971 heatstamp on the helmet interior, there is a #2 written on tape found in the crown of the helmet.  

An extremely rare helmet, fresh to the hobby, of a highly sought after team, in a rare XL size.  You know how rare original Redskins helmets are, and not many are finer examples than this one.   Less knowledgeable or beginning collectors may grumble a bit at about the missing stripes or the popped suspension rivet - but when you think of the number of games played in this helmet or the number of hits this helmet absorbed, it is astonishing that the helmet survived the trash bin and is still around more than 50 years later to help relive the memories of a special team with a very special logo.