brian-hartline.jpg

Is this the Browns new helmet?

(Instagram)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Has the Browns' new helmet just been leaked or is it an elaborate fake?

A photo posted on Browns wide receiver Brian Hartline's Instagram account shows an orange helmet with a matte finish and a brown facemask as depicted in the team's new logo. The brown-white-brown stripe down the middle appears slightly larger than previous versions.

Is it real? Posters on Reddit say the chin strap shown isn't used in the NFL. They also point out the "Browns" wordmarks on the front and back of the helmet don't match the team's new font.

That's not to say a matte finish would be out of the question. The Seahawks, Jaguars and Vikings wear matte helmets and they've become all the rage in college football.

The helmet photo comes on the heels of another purported leak of the Browns new uniforms. Over the weekend, this official-looking "style guide" surfaced, along with what appeared to be real in-store jerseys.

The most telltale sign these unis are fake: there's no way the Browns would've spent two years on a design so uninspired; nor would Donte Whitner ever call these the"best jerseys in the league."

We'll all finally get a look at the Browns' new uniforms at the big unveil during a special "orange carpet event" at the Cleveland Convention Center on April 14.