What do the Ohio State football helmet stickers mean?

The Ohio State Buckeyes are one of the biggest brands in college football. Any fan of the sport is no stranger to seeing the scarlet and gray in marquee games on a weekly basis in the fall, especially in the new Big Ten. Having said that, this is also a sport that is often hyper-local. SEC fans watch SEC football, the same of which is true for the Big Ten, ACC and so on.

So when a program like Ohio State, even with their notoriety, does get on the national stage, fans may not be as familiar with their traditions as die-hards or die-hard Big Ten fans. The Buckeyes are set to play in the 2024-25 College Football Playoff National Championship Game on Monday night against Notre Dame, which is certainly the most notable possible example of that. And there will be fans or even casual viewers who simply don't know all that much about Ohio State or the program's traditions.

One such thing that viewers and fans might notice is the Ohio State helmet stickers that every player has adorning their gray protective gear. Of course, some players have more than others, but why is that and what do the helmet stickers mean? Don't worry, we've got you covered.

What do Ohio State's helmet stickers mean?

According to an ESPN article, Ohio State started the tradition in 1968. Ernie Biggs, a member of the Buckeyes training staff, thought of the idea as a way to help motivate players on Woody Hayes’ team. The stickers, small white circles with a buckeye leaf on them, were apparently originally designed in 1950, according to Eleven Warriors.

The stickers are rewarded for multiple reasons.

The easiest way for anyone to get a sticker is for Ohio State to win a game. Everyone gets a sticker that way. If the Buckeyes beat a Big Ten opponent, they get two stickers. A win over the Michigan Wolverines? That results in three stickers.

There are also various accomplishments that individuals and entire position groups can do to receive stickers as well. Of course, those are dependent upon the positions involved. According to ESPN, film studies were used in the past to help determine if a player met a specific grade to receive a sticker.

As the season wears on and players accomplish more and the team wins more, they get more stickers plastered on their helmets.

What are on Ohio State helmet stickers?

Now that we know what's on the stickers, there's another question that fans unfamiliar with the tradition might be asking: What is even on the stickers? Well that actually fits right in for Ohio State as the stickers feature buckeye leaves. Obviously, that is the mascot for the university and the football team but they put the real-life picture of the leaves that populate buckeye trees. Though, one could've made the argument that putting the dark brown buckeye nut themselves might've made sense as well.