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1981-96 — THE STRIPES

1981-96 — THE STRIPES

In 1981, the Bengals introduced a bold new uniform which was dramatically different than the relatively conservative designs the team had used since 1968.

Perhaps the most eye-catching distinction of the complete makeover was the team's new helmet. The helmet remained orange and retained its black facemask, but replacing the block-letter "Bengals" logotype were the team's new signature tiger stripes. Six black tiger stripes were placed on the helmet, extending from one side to the other.

Paul Brown, the team's founder who then held the title of Vice President and General Manager, said the team wanted a helmet that would be instantly identifiable with the Cincinnati franchise, something akin to the Baltimore Colts' horseshoe helmet and the San Diego Chargers' lightning bolt helmet.

"You couldn't read 'Bengals' on our helmet from a distance," Brown said at the time. "When you were far away, it looked like Cleveland's helmet."

The black jersey, the white jersey and the white pants of the new uniform featured a black tiger- stripe pattern on top of a wide orange stripe. On the jerseys, the pattern appeared on the shoulders. On the pants, it extended straight down the full length of each leg.

Uniform Fun Facts

Sleeves became shorter over time:

From when the Bengals began play in 1968 through the mid-'80s, the sleeve length of the jersey was somewhat long by today's standards, reaching to just above the elbow. In the mid-'80s, sleeves began shortening over time to the current-day length, reaching only to the lower shoulder or upper biceps. By 1991, all of the team's jerseys were made with the shorter sleeves, and the original elbow-length sleeves were never produced again.

NFL marks were added in 1991:

Not pictured here, small NFL shield logos were added to the Bengals' helmets, jerseys and pants in 1991. All NFL teams added the logos as part of a minor league-wide alteration.

The stripes did not remain entirely the same:

The black tiger-stripe patterns on the shoulders of the jersey and the legs of the pants during this era did not always perfectly match those on the illustrations pictured here. Though hardly noticeable, the patterns differed slightly from one uniform manufacturer to the next. In most cases, the stripes were less wide and more numerous. At the time, minor variations of this nature were considered acceptable as long as they were negligible and did not change the overall appearance of the uniform design.

First Stripes Uniforms In Action

Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Corey Sawyer (23) is seen in action during an NFL game against New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 11, 1994, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Allen Kee via AP)
Allen Kee
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Cincinnati Bengals cornerback Corey Sawyer (23) is seen in action during an NFL game against New York Giants, Sunday, Dec. 11, 1994, in East Rutherford, N.J. (Allen Kee via AP)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) is grabbed by the jersey during the 1988 AFC Championship NFL Game against the Buffalo Bills in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 8, 1989. The Bengals defeated the Bills 21-10. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Vernon Biever
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) is grabbed by the jersey during the 1988 AFC Championship NFL Game against the Buffalo Bills in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 8, 1989. The Bengals defeated the Bills 21-10. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)

Running back Icky Woods (30) of the Cincinnati Bengals runs upfield against the Oakland Raiders in 1990. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Al Messerschmidt Archive
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Running back Icky Woods (30) of the Cincinnati Bengals runs upfield against the Oakland Raiders in 1990. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)

Cincinnati Bengals running back James Brooks (21) rushes upfield with the ball during Superbowl XXIII Jan. 22, 1989, in Miami. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. (Vernon J. Biever via AP)
Vernon J. Biever
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Cincinnati Bengals running back James Brooks (21) rushes upfield with the ball during Superbowl XXIII Jan. 22, 1989, in Miami. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. (Vernon J. Biever via AP)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) gets set to throw a pass against the Oakland Raiders in an NFL game in this undated photo. (Tony Tomsic via AP)
Tony Tomsic
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) gets set to throw a pass against the Oakland Raiders in an NFL game in this undated photo. (Tony Tomsic via AP)

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Cris Collinsworth (80) looks to catch a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL game in this undated photo. (Tony Tomsic via AP)
Tony Tomsic
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Cris Collinsworth (80) looks to catch a pass against the Seattle Seahawks during an NFL game in this undated photo. (Tony Tomsic via AP)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson (14) rolls out to pass during an NFL Super Bowl XVI game against the San Francisco 49ers in Pontiac, Mich., on January 24, 1982. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 26-21. (AP Photo/Al Messerschmidt)
Al Messerschmidt
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson (14) rolls out to pass during an NFL Super Bowl XVI game against the San Francisco 49ers in Pontiac, Mich., on January 24, 1982. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 26-21. (AP Photo/Al Messerschmidt)

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson runs out of the pocket during Super Bowl XVI, a 26-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)
Al Messerschmidt Archive
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Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Ken Anderson runs out of the pocket during Super Bowl XVI, a 26-21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. (AP Photo / Al Messerschmidt)

Quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) of the LCincinnati Bengals sets for play at the line of scrimmage against the Los Angeles Raiders in an NFL division playoff game January 13, 1991 in Los Angeles. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Al Messerschmidt Archive
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Quarterback Boomer Esiason (7) of the LCincinnati Bengals sets for play at the line of scrimmage against the Los Angeles Raiders in an NFL division playoff game January 13, 1991 in Los Angeles. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Dan Ross (89) hangs on to the ball during Super Bowl XVI, a 26 - 21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)
Al Messerschmidt Archive
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Cincinnati Bengals tight end Dan Ross (89) hangs on to the ball during Super Bowl XVI, a 26 - 21 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on January 24, 1982, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Pontiac, Michigan. (Al Messerschmidt via AP)

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Don Griffin (29) goes low to stop Cincinnati Bengals running back James Brooks (21) during a Super Bowl XXIII NFL game in Miami, on January 22, 1989. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)
Vernon Biever
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San Francisco 49ers cornerback Don Griffin (29) goes low to stop Cincinnati Bengals running back James Brooks (21) during a Super Bowl XXIII NFL game in Miami, on January 22, 1989. The 49ers defeated the Bengals 20-16. (AP Photo/Vernon Biever)

Cleveland Browns running back Kevin Mack (34) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 25, 1988, in Cincinnati. (Tony Tomsic via AP)
Tony Tomsic
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Cleveland Browns running back Kevin Mack (34) is seen in action during an NFL game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Sept. 25, 1988, in Cincinnati. (Tony Tomsic via AP)

Oakland Raiders defensive end Howie Long (75) is seen in action against the Cincinnati Bengals in this undated photo. (Tony Tomsic via AP)
Tony Tomsic
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Oakland Raiders defensive end Howie Long (75) is seen in action against the Cincinnati Bengals in this undated photo. (Tony Tomsic via AP)