An enthusiast of football helmets from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, AKA football's "golden" era, can usually just glance at a game worn helmet and facemask from that period and immediately tell you what player wore it. Today's generic looking modern helmets can only be associated with a specific player by DNA testing. This stunning reproduction of Ron "Jaws" Jaworski's vintage 1970s Eagle's helmet (and facemask) is a perfect example of the character laden headgear worn throughout football's "golden" era. 

Ron was an athlete's athlete. He played three sports (football, basketball and baseball) in high school and had such a strong arm that he was drafted by the baseball St. Louis Cardinals prior to graduation.  Ron remembers, "my dad had a limited education and worked in a lumber yard." "He wanted me to go to college and do better than he did." "But you know how teenagers are, all I could see was a major league baseball career." "When you're only 17 years old your idea of preparing for the future is looking at next week." "But dad prevailed and so it was off to college."

After college Ron played 17 long years in the NFL with four different teams. "Jaws" was truly one of pro football's Iron Men.  It literally took a broken leg or torn knee ligament to keep him out of a game. For several years Ron held the NFL record of 116 straight starts by a QB until it was finally broke last year by the Packer's great Brent Farve.

"Jaws" wore several different helmets and masks during his lengthy career but he we think he will forever be linked with the combination of the Riddell "Pac-3" Eagles helmet and Dungard DG205 facemask pictured above.

It is somewhat ironic that one of the NFL's all time Iron Men is best recognized wearing an aluminum mask!