(NOTE: This is the third in a series of posts about the best and worst sports logos. Previously, I covered the NHL and MLB. To read those blog posts, go to the May 2017 subpage.)
Football season is upon us! As such, I wanted to continue my series of blog posts about the best and worst sports logos. This time, we'll cover the NFL.
Best NFL Logos - Current
5. Arizona Cardinals
This one may surprise you, but as the previous posts in this series have indicated, I'm a sucker for classic logos that have been generally left alone for decades. The Cardinals tweaked this logo back in 2005, but the changes were subtle. In general, the logo has been in place since the Cardinals moved
from Chicago to St. Louis in 1960. They then moved from St. Louis to the Valley of the Sun back in 1988. So, while the team has moved and changed names several times, they've had what I call the "mean cardinal" logo for more than 50 years. It's sharp and it's classic, which is why it makes the cut.
4. Dallas Cowboys
I can hear lots of you gagging as you read that one. The Cowboys are one of the most hated sports franchises in America. However, they are also one of the most beloved sports franchises in America.
Their logo has essentially remained unchanged since it was first introduced back in 1960. It's simple - a star representing the Lone Star State - but the blue star against the silver background of the helmets really stands out. Love the team or hate them, this is one of the most iconic and recognized sports logos in the world.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
This is an example of a team name and it's origin and home city all coming together in near perfection. Steel is to Pittsburgh what cars are to Detroit - it's woven into the history and fabric of the city. The Steelers logo is essentially an adaptation of the "Steelmark" logo that was owned by
Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel for decades. It was a logo that indicated that the product was made from American steel. So, what better logo to co-opt for a team based in Pittsburgh that is called the Steelers? The logo has remained virtually untouched for decades and has served one of the more rabid NFL fan bases well throughout the years. The fact that the logo only appears on one side of the Steelers' helmets just serves to increase the mystique a little more.
2. Oakland Raiders
Another classic logo that has remained largely untouched since 1964. It's a terrific twist on the traditional skull-and-crossbones pirate logo. Instead of a skull, it's a eye-patched football player in an
old style football helmet without the facemask. Instead of crossbones, it's crossed swords, similar to what you'd see a pirate use. The logo and crest look even better on the Raiders' silver helmets. This franchise - throughout it's frequent relocations (Oakland-Los Angeles-Oakland and soon to be Las Vegas) - has embraced a rough and tumble, outlaw image and this logo plays into that motif quite well. You may not like the Raiders, but you have to admit that their logo and uniforms are classic.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
For me, this was an easy choice. It's another classic logo that has stood the test of time remarkably well. In a simple design - the interlocked "KC" embedded on an arrowhead - it ties together the team
name and the city the team represents. It is a classic design that has been left untouched since 1972 and for good reason - it's terrific. The fact that the team adopted this logo the same year that it moved into a stadium that is essentially named after the logo (Arrowhead Stadium) just ties everything up nicely.
Worst NFL Logos - Current
3. Tennessee Titans
I call this logo the "flaming thumbtack". It's an example of a relocated franchise trying to do too many things at once in the logo. The "T" is for "Tennessee" obviously, but the font used makes it
look like a thumbtack. The three stars are a nod to the 3 Grand Divisions of Tennessee that are reflected on the state flag. I like that part of it, but what's with the flames? Titans are giant Greek gods, right? So why not some sort of logo to evoke that? I get why they needed to rename the team when they relocated from Houston, but surely they could have come up with something better than an alliterative name that had nothing to do with the city and a logo that had nothing to do with the name.
2. New England Patriots
No, this is not on the list because I hate Bill Belicheat and the Patriots. It's not on the list because Tom Brady drives me crazy, what with his good looks, supermodel wife and multiple championship rings. It's on the list because the logo sucks. It's part Minuteman, part American flag, part Elvis
and part Trump's combover. What makes it worse is that this stupid logo replaced one of the most awesome logos in football history (see below). The fact that the Patriots never won a thing wearing the awesome logo and have won five Super Bowls wearing this garbage probably ensures that they will stick with the Flying Elvis logo for the foreseeable future.
1. Cleveland Browns
This one is a no brainer. First of all, they don't really even HAVE a logo. It's just an orange helmet with nothing on it. Second, the team colors are orange and brown, which is basically the color of baby poop, depending upon what the little one has been eating. Having said that, I feel bad for
Browns' fans. They had their team ripped from them by their greedy owner (through no fault of their own - something that I can relate to as a St. Louisan), only to watch said team finally win a Super Bowl less than 5 years after leaving for Baltimore. They had their team reinstated a few years later, but they've been nothing more than a steaming pile of dog poop throughout their second existence.
Best NFL Logos - Old School Version
2. Denver Broncos
This logo - the wild horse with the steam coming out of it's nose - was awesome. I actually had this helmet when I was a kid. The team tied it all together, too, by having a giant white horse on top of the scoreboard at the old Mile High Stadium. Colorado has traditionally had a "Wild West" vibe and what is more representative of the West than a wild horse breathing steam on a cold morning?
1. New England Patriots
As mentioned above, I always loved this Patriots logo and wish they'd never changed it. It's a perfect tie-in of the area's history and the sport the team plays. A Minuteman playing center, getting ready to snap the football. It was a simple idea that was brilliant.
Worst NFL Logo - Old School Version
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Where do I start? The colors. Orange and red? I realize those were selected as a nod toward the colors of the major college programs in Florida (Florida, Florida State and Miami), but they just don't
go that well together. But, more than that, it's the logo itself. Pirates are dirty, mean, nasty characters- about as "manly" as it gets. But, as presented in this logo, they are a jolly, whimsical and not particular manly character. It's a cheesy logo that screams 1970s, which is when it was designed. The feather, the earring, the wink, the dagger in the mouth. It's like the logo is a lost member of the Village People or perhaps an outfit from a gay pride parade. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not exactly the image you think of when you think of pirates and certainly not the meanest logo for a football team. Also, the pirate has orange skin, so it's almost like he spent too much time in the spray tan salon. Amazingly, the Buccaneers stuck with this logo for 20 years, from the team's inception in 1976 until 1996, before abandoning it for something a little closer to what you might expect - a poor man's Raiders logo.
There you have it. My list of the best and worst logos in the NFL. Which logos would make your list?
Thanks for reading!
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