Sometimes it is asking too much for the grown-ups to act like grown-ups. After the Cleveland Browns released their new white helmets they will wear three times in 2023, their interstate rival, the Cincinnati Bengals, decided to start a war on Twitter, stating they were being copied after releasing their white helmets.
While none of this is rooted in logic (or historical validity), it makes for fun banter as we still wait for training camp to roll around. Here is the timeline of events between the Browns and Bengals as they fight like children over each other’s wardrobes.
1. Browns release their white helmets
another level of CLEAN 🧼@David_Njoku80 | #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/lu3OtdWGqt
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 18, 2023
2. Browns stake claim to the best white helmet in Ohio
Best white helmets in Ohio 🤷 pic.twitter.com/fnVRbVkWf3
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 18, 2023
3. Bengals cry because they think the Browns are copying them
Oooo what a cool video I just found! pic.twitter.com/YcJg4rK2pi
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 18, 2023
4. A quick fact-check proves the Browns had white helmets before the Bengals were even born
just gonna leave this here… https://t.co/QIzNHfhdcb pic.twitter.com/vFpvYQ6kYp
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) July 18, 2023
5. A weird quip about Paul Brown?
Raise your hand if the founder of your team was Paul Brown…
🙋♂️
— Cincinnati Bengals (@Bengals) July 18, 2023
6. The fanbases explode into completely reasonable and well thought-out arguments
browns/bengals both wear their white helmets week 1 & winner gets to keep theirs
seems fair
— gabb 💕 (@gabbgoudy) July 18, 2023
Hey that’s good though. We all know the Browns had white helmets originally, and for the first time in my conscious lifetime there’s real Browns-Bengals heat.
— Ken Carman (@KenCarman) July 18, 2023
The number of Bengals fans who think the 1946 Browns time travelled to 75 years in the future and saw Joe Burrow wearing a white helmet so Paul Brown decided to use white helmets so that the 2023-24 Browns could reincorporate them as throwback alternates in the future is shocking pic.twitter.com/ZwyrdTmBOF
— DollarDog Nick (@DollarDogNick) July 18, 2023
The Browns wore white helmets 21 years before the Bengals even existed
If it wasn’t for that idiot Art Modell Cincinnati wouldn’t even have a football team
So you can thank the Browns for your NFL franchise and your uniform inspiration https://t.co/QHfE1EVajl
— John (@JohnHillbery) July 18, 2023
The Browns-Bengals helmet feud is incredibly lame, imo.
— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) July 18, 2023
Rivalry in full swing: Bengals respond to the Browns' new alternate helmets 💀 https://t.co/0MpvIoBHFm
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 18, 2023
Remember when the Browns entered the NFL with white helmets before the Cincinnati Bengals ever existed? pic.twitter.com/dpDV2A7aZm
— Nick Karns (@karnsies817) July 18, 2023
Ravens and Steelers fans watching the Browns and Bengals social media fight over who had white helmets first: https://t.co/6KCfMwda2Z pic.twitter.com/JCGfKO0uOg
— Siva (@siva2_) July 18, 2023
I keep seeing Bengals fans saying the Browns' white helmets are a Bengals knockoff.
Never mind the fact that the Browns had white helmets in 1950, 17 years before the Bengals existed but the actual Bengals franchise IS A KNOCKOFF OF THE CLEVELAND BROWNS! https://t.co/bGktFzDsWl
— Patrick Allen (@RPatrickAllen) July 18, 2023
Yep. The Browns ripped off the Bengals by wearing a white helmet! Not the Bills, Chargers, Cardinals, Colts, Dolphins, Titans, Jets, or anyone else who have worn them for years. The white helmet was born last year in Cincinnati! https://t.co/g1rpzUfffa
— kevin zuppe (@KevinZuppe) July 18, 2023
Bengals fans looking back on their tweets saying they had white helmets before the Browns #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/8PtAbkQlpi
— DollarDog Nick (@DollarDogNick) July 18, 2023
The Browns new uniforms do look great… but please calm down Cleveland… don’t get it twisted… our “White Tiger” reigns supreme.. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/CXDhHLhwXe
— Bengalorian (@thebengalorian) July 18, 2023
"I remember my first white helmet." https://t.co/0tQNrRAOe6 pic.twitter.com/Eu7Z0sl5V2
— Cincy Shirts (@CincyShirts) July 18, 2023
Bengals Diss Browns Over New White Helmets, You Ripped Us Off! https://t.co/199aQx2kOl
— TMZ (@TMZ) July 18, 2023
