Meet The Guys Who Paint Michigan’s Iconic Winged Helmets [Video]

Every Friday night before a Michigan football game, the equipment managers for the University of Michigan football team repaint and touch up the iconic winged helmets.

It takes four hours for the student managers to complete their task, but they don't seem to mind, after all it makes the team look sharp.

Michelle McMahon of the Big Ten Network paid the students responsible for touching up the iconic winged helmet a visit before a game back in 2017.

It doesn't look like a fun job, but the students seemed honored to keep a storied tradition alive.

A little Friday night helmet painting.

Looking sharp @UMichFootball! pic.twitter.com/OyK5J8i1M3

— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) September 16, 2017

If you're wondering what the Michigan helmet would look like if they weren't touched up, check out this photo of the late great M running back Rob Lytle's helmet from back in the day before the touch ups. That is one beat up helmet.  

Lytle's son still has that helmet, and he tweeted this photo of it.

Back then, wearing a helmet missing chunks of paint, and maybe with splotches of the opponents paint would be considered a badge of honor. I know it was when I played high school football. "Look where I smashed that dude!" One might exclaim. But in 2022, appearances are everything, and looking sharp and on point with the paint is a big deal.