The Houston Texans football team is preparing for a major revamp of their gear, and despite the orchestrated suspense leading up to the official reveal, a recent leak has caused mixed reactions among fans. Just days before the grand unveiling of the Texans’ new uniforms, an unexpected sneak peek of an alternate helmet emerged online, according to Houston Chronicle.

In the video posted by a Twitter user, Freddy, boxes from Riddell – the NFL’s official helmet supplier – can be seen in the background, reinforcing the legitimacy of the leak. Texans owner Cal McNair later confirmed the new design with a photo featuring him and his dog, both donning the "H-Town" logo. The leaked helmet sports a Deep Steel Blue with a light blue "H" emblem highlighted by a red outline. As reported by the Houston Chronicle, the color, dubbed "H-Town Blue," is a nod to the historic Houston Oilers without infringing on the Tennessee Titans’ rights.

While the team is clearly leaning into local pride with this redesign, not all fans are thrilled about the changes. Critics on the X platform have dismissed the new helmet, with some deeming the design lackluster and others feeling it treads too closely to a division rival's aesthetic. "I hope that helmet is false, it's too close to the Titans helmet," one user pointed out, expressing concern over the color scheme resemblance, which was echoed by others in the online community, as noted by Chron.com.

However, it’s not all negative feedback. The Texans have been responsive to the voice of their fanbase, conducting surveys and focus groups to shape the upcoming uniform redesigns. Doug Vosik, senior vice president of marketing, communications, and ticket sales for the Texans, was quoted by the Houston Chronicle stating, "So, our hope is when you look across the four, if every fan can at least find one or two where they said, 'That was my feedback, the Texans listened, the Texans delivered,' then we’ve done our job."

The Texans anticipate that their collection of four uniforms will feature something for everyone, including presumably more traditional designs. Amid the current skepticism and anticipation, the final verdict will come after the official release on Tuesday, April 23rd. Whether the leak was an accidental slip or a calculated tease by McNair and the Texans' management, fans don't have long to wait before they can rep Houston in official style or sound off in earnest, as Chron.com suggests.