True, but you had leather helmets and no face masks, too.
As they say, "Whatever goes around, come around". You might recall that a considered alternate suggestion to creating the "Illegal Helmet Contact" fouls (Spearing, Butt Blocking and Face Tackling) was actually the idea of removing helmet facemasks as an inducement to refrain from using the head when tackling or blocking.
Although rejected at the time, in favor of establishing those new penalties, you never really know where the recently increased focus on concussions and head injuries may eventually lead.
Leather helmets are much more likely permanently relegated to history.