The small decals on Michigan football helmets are reward stickers that mark different achievements, milestones, and roles for each player.
Overall purpose
The stickers are used to recognize:
- On‑field performance (big plays, wins, records).
- Team and program milestones (total program wins, special streaks, bowl games, rivalry wins).
- Personal contributions like leadership, consistency in practice, and other off‑field values.
They turn each helmet into a visual record of that player’s career and the team’s accomplishments.
Types of stickers
Under Jim Harbaugh’s updated system, the main categories include:
- Team win stickers: Football-shaped decals with a wolverine and the updated all‑time program win number after each victory.
- Special game/streak stickers: Unique designs for rivalry wins (like Ohio State), bowl games, titles, and notable streaks (for example, “RAMPAGE” for an eight‑game win streak).
- Individual awards: Stickers for breaking program records, earning a varsity letter, or other notable on‑field achievements.
- TED (“There Every Day”): Given to players who are present and full‑go in every spring and fall practice, emphasizing reliability and consistency.
Personal and values-based decals
Since 2021, each player also receives a small set of personal/value stickers placed on the lower right side of the helmet:
- An equality sticker.
- A Title IX sticker.
- A personalized sticker with the player’s hometown area code.
These are meant to tie the player’s identity and core program values into the helmet, not just game stats.
Newer motivational stickers
Harbaugh also introduced special motivational decals, the best‑known being:
- EUTM: A sticker with the letters “EUTM,” which stands for “Enthusiasm Unknown To Mankind,” awarded to players who embody that extreme energy and effort.
Altogether, the pattern and mix of stickers on a Michigan helmet show how long a player has been in the program, what they’ve helped the team achieve, and which individual honors or values they’ve earned.
