Sports
Meet Armando Villarreal, the man behind college football’s coolest helmets
Armando Villarreal was hanging onto the back of a garbage truck in his hometown of Imperial, Neb., when his phone rang. He quickly hollered to the driver to hit the brakes. Villarreal hopped off and answered the incoming call from Brad Haley, business manager of Schutt Sports, a company that manufactures football equipment. That conversation, which took place six years ago, altered both the trajectory of Villarreal’s life and his artistic career.
If that call goes to voicemail and Villarreal forgets about it, he likely never leaves his municipal job working for Imperial — a tiny city with a population of less than 2,000 in rural southwest Nebraska.
Luckily, he did pick up and listened to Haley’s unusual pitch: to airbrush a specialty helmet for Mississippi State in honor of alum Sonny Montgomery, a World War II veteran and former Mississippi state politician. Villarreal and Haley first met at a retail summit in Las Vegas years earlier, when Villarreal was working for a California-based art production company contracted by professional teams and leagues.
Since then, Villarreal has become a leader in this specialized field. Illinois’ leather helmets honoring legend Red Grange in last month’s game against Michigan were arguably his finest work.
“So iconic as far as the history of football.”
Individually hand-painted, each helmet being worn in the Memorial Stadium Rededication Game went through an intricate process to be ready for game day on October 19th. #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/CxaZlPR449
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) August 7, 2024
Villarreal has done individually airbrushed helmets for 12 programs since 2018, including Utah, UCF, Maryland, BYU, Michigan and Tennessee. A former member of the U.S. Army Reserve who was deployed both to Kosovo and Iraq in the early 2000s, Villarreal did his best to balance his city job with airbrushing hundreds of helmets each year — until 2022 when the demand for his artistry became overwhelming.
Typically, equipment staffers at various programs will reach out to Schutt Sports, which then contacts Villarreal with the school’s pitch. Schutt handles the orders of however many helmets are needed, and they’re eventually shipped to Villareal’s home in Imperial.
“I just have to make sure it looks good on TV,” he said.
Schools will have their own graphic designers send mock-ups to Villarreal. The tricky part is wrapping an image around the entirety of the helmet. Some ideas are simple and easier to apply, such as UCF’s moon design honoring the university’s historical ties to the U.S. space program, or Tennessee’s helmet honoring the Smoky Mountains.
There was one project so intimidating that he initially turned it down multiple times. In 2021, Utah’s director of equipment, Cody Heidbreder, asked Villarreal if he could paint helmets commemorating the passing of Utah players Ty Jordan in 2020 and Aaron Lowe in 2021.
(Video courtesy of Greg Gosse)
“I think I told them four times I couldn’t do it,” Villarreal said. “Cody just kept on me and kept on me. Finally, I said we’ll do it. That was the year I quit my day job because it was so much. It was about six hours per helmet.”
Programs usually come to Schutt and Villarreal with ideas in November and December to prepare for the following season. Right now, he’s finishing Utah’s speciality helmet for its Nov. 23 matchup against Iowa State in Salt Lake City.
“As soon as that’s done, we’ll start working on designs for next year,” Villarreal said.
Helmets sent to Imperial from Schutt will arrive anywhere from May to June each spring.
Villareal receives just the “shell” of the helmet — sans facemask and chin strap — and immediately works on sanding each one down, with the help of his wife and three children. In order for the paint and design to stick properly, the texture of the helmet needs to be much rougher, without as much gloss.
A typical order generally consists of around 150 helmets per team. Some schools order more because they plan on selling or auctioning them off as collectible items. Illinois, Villarreal said, has received such fanfare over the leather helmet that the athletic department is considering a special order after the season.
It takes a minimum of two months to complete an entire order and have it shipped back to the school. The Illinois order took an estimated two hours per helmet, while the Utah helmets that will debut against Iowa State later this month took about four hours each.
“When you’re doing 155 helmets, the 32nd one has to look like the 76th one and the 120th one,” Villarreal said. “They all have to be pretty similar.”
Villarreal occupies space in an old shop his dad uses, and he also relies on his father-in-law, who owns a welding and fabrication shop in town. That’s where Villarreal spends hours with a paint respirator meticulously applying the airbrush design on helmet after helmet.
The business is gaining so much popularity that he and his wife, Lora, are thinking about building their own studio and adding additional manpower if demand keeps climbing. Once upon a time, after returning from his tours of duty, Villarreal was in Florida airbrushing motorcycles. Now he’s at the forefront of college football uniform ingenuity.
“I’ve got to figure out how many we actually do, because ultimately it depends on the design,” he said. “The trouble is, the players don’t report until spring. And then they’ve got to get their helmets fitted. So there’s a tight window in there where I think, how can we do this? How many can we get done?
“This leather helmet for Illinois just exploded. I don’t know what the future holds. There’s going to be a pretty big learning curve in the next year or two.”
Maybe, but that doesn’t mean he can’t take a break and enjoy it. Recently EA Sports College Football 25 updated its video game options to include Illinois’ throwback leather helmets.
“The little kid in me is freaking out,” he recently posted on X. “I’m freaking out!”
The newest addition to The Game. #Illini // #HTTO // #famILLy pic.twitter.com/LfEkTSHPWN
— Illinois Football (@IlliniFootball) October 24, 2024
(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; All photos courtesy of Armando Villarreal)
Sports
PSG Champions League victory causes chaos in Paris, with 45 arrested and fires set across city
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At least 45 people were arrested in Paris on Saturday after celebrations over Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory descended into chaos, with fires set, businesses vandalized and crowds clashing with police.
Police detained dozens of people as crowds gathered across the French capital following PSG’s victory.
Large crowds gathered near the Arc de Triomphe after the match, with some fans setting off flares and blaring car horns, according to reports from The Associated Press.
Police worked to contain thousands of people gathered along the Champs-Élysées.
POLICE ARREST FIGHT SUSPECTS AT ISRAEL-FRANCE SOCCER GAME DAYS AFTER ATTACKS ON ISRAELI FANS IN AMSTERDAM
A car burns and fireworks explode as police watch PSG supporters celebrate in Paris, Saturday, May 30, 2026, after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal that’s being played in Budapest. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
According to authorities, a group of individuals attempted to storm a police station in the French capital late Saturday.
The Paris police prefecture said some people vandalized shops, set fires and torched vehicles during the unrest.
A bakery and a restaurant were damaged during the disturbances, police said.
HUNDREDS OF MIGRANTS EVICTED FROM PARIS THEATER AFTER SQUATTING THERE FOR MONTHS
Paris St Germain fans celebrate winning the UEFA Champions League. (REUTERS/Abdul Saboor)
Authorities also said a crowd briefly blocked the main ring road surrounding the city before police dispersed the gathering.
One police officer was injured, according to police.
As of 10 p.m. local time, police had arrested at least 45 people.
Celebrations erupted across Paris after PSG defeated Arsenal in a dramatic Champions League final, securing one of the club’s biggest achievements on the European stage.
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A car burns as PSG supporters celebrate in Paris, Saturday, May 30, 2026 after the Champions League final soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)
Violent celebrations also followed PSG’s previous Champions League triumph. After the club won the title last year, 201 people were injured in Paris and more than 500 arrests were made across France.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Sports
Transgender Jurupa Valley senior AB Hernandez wins state track medal amid muted protest
CLOVIS — Jurupa Valley senior AB Hernandez placed third in the CIF state championship long jump on Saturday, medaling in the event for the second consecutive year.
Hernandez, who is transgender, has faced harassment and ire from anti-trans protesters and conservative pundits during the past two years. She jumped 20 feet, 2 1/4 inches on Saturday, behind first-place finisher Ellie McCuskey-Hay of St. Ignatius (20-3½) and Gianna Gonzalez of Moorpark (20-3½).
Under CIF policy, transgender athletes who place at the state championships receive medals but do not displace cisgender girls in the final standings. The federation announced last year that the policy would apply specifically to the long jump, triple jump and high jump — the three events Hernandez competed in — and the rule remained in effect for her three events this weekend.
Hernandez shared her third-place podium with St. Mary’s Berkeley jumper Corrine Jones, who reached 19-9 ½.
Hernandez secured her place in Saturday’s finals on her opening long jump attempt Friday, posting a mark strong enough to hold the top qualifying position. She passed on her remaining two attempts after safely locking up advancement.
The atmosphere surrounding the state championships was notably calmer than a year ago, when demonstrations over Hernandez’s participation drew national attention. On Friday, the most visible protest activity came before the meet, when Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton held a news conference outside Veterans Memorial Stadium, noting that the primary election was just four days away.
Standing before signs reading “Hey, CIF: Girls’ Sports Girls Only” on Friday, Hilton criticized the California Interscholastic Federation’s policies governing transgender athletes.
On Saturday, the Rainbow Families Action group hosted a news conference outside in support of Hernandez. Counter-protesters showed up toward the end and shouted toward the Hernandez supporters and the two sides exchanged some words before dispersing.
Inside the stadium, however, the focus largely remained on the competition. Spectators cheered as Hernandez began her long-jump approach, and some fans wore bracelets bearing the message “We Stand With AB.”
Event organizers prohibited signs inside the venue. Unlike last year, when advocacy groups on both sides staged more visible demonstrations, the off-track theatrics were largely absent.
Meanwhile, Democrat Tom Steyer released a video on X on Friday featuring a previous conversation with Hernandez, in which he expressed support for her participation in high school athletics.
The 17-year-old arrived in Clovis after sweeping all three of her events at the Southern Section championships.
Entering the state meet, Hernandez ranked among the nation’s top 10 performers in all three events. She shared California’s best high jump mark, was tied for second in the long jump and ranked second in the triple jump. She will compete in the high jump and triple jump later Saturday.
Sports
Dispatch audio reveals what was heard inside Josh Jacobs’ home before alleged domestic violence arrest
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Released dispatch audio has added some context to the alleged domestic violence incident involving Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs, one of which came from inside his Wisconsin residence.
The audio, obtained by TMJ 4, reveals a dispatcher speaking with a police officer about the “yelling and screaming” she could hear on an open line within Jacobs’ home.
“Things being thrown, open line,” the dispatcher tells the officer. “…Possibly a male and female.”
Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers jogs off the field after a 26-34 loss to the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colo., on Dec. 14, 2025. (Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
Then, a second call’s audio was added, as a dispatcher describes a neighbor calling about what they can hear from Jacobs’ home.
“The neighbor is calling now, saying that her neighbor was assaulted,” dispatch called out.
BROWNS ROOKIE QUINSHON JUDKINS ARRESTED IN FLORIDA FOR ALLEGED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
When authorities arrived at Jacobs’ residence, he wasn’t there. He left the scene in his Mercedes G-Wagon, though police tracked his license plate readers. A call went out to stop the vehicle if it was seen on the road.
Jacobs was arrested on Tuesday following an investigation by the Hobart-Lawrence Police Department, and he was booked on five domestic abuse-related charges.
The department said in the statement that Jacobs was booked into Brown County Jail on charges of domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse criminal damage to property, domestic abuse disorderly conduct, strangulation and suffocation, and intimidation of a victim. According to Brown County Jail records, strangulation and suffocation is a felony, while the other four are misdemeanors.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs runs the ball and stiff arms Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trikweze Bridges during the second half of an NFL game in Arlington, Texas, on Sept. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Jessica Tobias)
The investigation remains active and ongoing, the statement added.
Jacobs’ attorneys, David Z. Chesnoff and Clarence Duchac, say the 28-year-old denies all charges.
“Josh vehemently denies the allegations, and this matter is in the early stages of investigation with important evidence that has not yet been made public,” the attorneys’ statement read.
“We ask for fairness and restraint while the judicial process takes its course.”
The NFL was made aware of the situation and has contacted the Packers. Green Bay also told The Athletic that it wouldn’t make comment due to the ongoing investigation on the matter.
Josh Jacobs of the Green Bay Packers stands for the National Anthem before an NFL wild card playoff game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., on Jan. 10, 2026. (Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
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Jacobs finished his second season with the Packers, tallying 929 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on 1,234 carries in 2025. In 2024, he racked up 1,329 yards on 301 attempts with 15 touchdowns to lead the way for the Packers’ ground game in his inaugural season up north.
Jacobs, who spent five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders prior to his time in Green Bay, has led the league in the past with rushing yards. His 2022 campaign saw 1,653 yards and 12 touchdowns across a full 17-game slate.
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