NFL
Tell your girlfriend that you won't be holding her purse on Sundays, because the NFL season is here! After seven months, one lockout (and the fuckery that ensued), and too many awesome Darnell Dockett tweets to mention, football is back with tonight's game between the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints.
Complex has been previewing the season all week, with a look at the vanishing white running back and cornerback, and a survey of NFL stars' wildest groupie stories. Today, we take a trip in the time machine, and revisit the coolest old school NFL logos.
RELATED: Green Label - The 10 Best Sports Team Logos of All Time
San Francisco (1946 - 1967)
San Francisco 49ers (1946 - 1967)
Before Steve Walsh, Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, band co. made San Francisco one of the finest franchises in NFL history, the 49ers rocked an actual Forty-Niner shooting a gun on their helmets. Maybe the recent parking lot shootings and stadium brawls are a result of more than just fans feeling rejected by their mommies. It seems like the attitude is in the team's tradition.
Pittsburgh Pirates (steelers) 1933 - 1939
Pittsburgh Pirates (1933 - 1939)
The Super Bowl-winningest franchise in football, the Steelers were founded as the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 8, 1933, by Art Rooney. Yes, the name was taken from the baseball team of the same name, but that was the norm for NFL teams during that time. The logo is reminiscent of a British police patch, but the castle definitely foreshadowed the Steelers current dominance.
Cleveland Browns (1959 - 1969)
Cleveland Browns (1959 - 1969)
You may know the Cleveland Browns for their mediocre play over the past decade, but the Browns have an interesting history, including their early '60s elf logo. In 1995 after 50 years of being in Cleveland, the owner Art Modell wanted to move the team to Baltimore, Maryland. He met fierce legal action and was faced with an interesting compromise. Modell was allowed to keep his Browns' players contracts, but needed to form a new franchise. Today, that organization is known as the Baltimore Ravens.
The elf in brown and orange might come as a shock to fans accustomed to the Browns simple, classic, brown and orange helmets. Surprisingly, the Browns were extremely successful while represented by the elf—maybe, it's time to leave cookies and milk for the big guy's little helpers.
Jets (1963)
New York Jets (1963)
The Jet script inside a jet was the first of six logo changes in the franchise's history. The franchise moniker is synonymous with the language of pop-culture and has ignited some of hip-hop's rappers' swagger. This logo is particularly cool, because it's a Jets logo that looks kind of like a shark. #westsidestoryFTW
San Francisco Logo (1967 - 1975)
San Francisco 49ers (1967 - 1975)
After the Niners retired the drunken shooter as their primary logo they adopted a more subtle image to represent their city's football team. The Gold "SF" and football inside a red and gold "49" shield was a nice touch. These female fans would have appreciated shields during their battle royale against the Oakland Raiders.
Denver Broncos (1968 - 1992)
Denver Broncos (1968 - 1992)
The "Big Orange" Denver Broncos have been a fan adored franchise for many years and their white bucking bronco outlined in black, whether inside an orange "D" or standing alone, recieves the same adulation. The bronco has always been an intimidating stamp to opponents and visually pleasing when printed on the latest trends. The team's current rabid horse? Not so much.
Buffalo Bills (1970 - 1973)
Buffalo Bills (1970 - 1973)
Adopting their name from William Frederick "Buffalo Bill" Cody, a U.S. soldier who hunted bison, the Bills are easily one of the most beloved franchises in the NFL. If they really do move to Canada (we say no way, eh!), expect to see a mourning city that will make Brooklyn in '57 look like a holiday parade.
The current logo is sported on clothing more regularly than the one in question, but the red buffalo facing left is simple and makes a statement.
Eagles (1987 - 1995)
Philadelphia Eagles (1987 - 1995)
The Philadelphia Eagles have had 3 soaring eagles and 1 eagle head as their logo since the inception of their franchise. Interestingly, the image and the name of the team was influenced and used for the New Deal stimulus during the Great Depression. Recession or not, the soaring eagle appears fresh on any garment and perfect to rock a snapback with.
Today, with the resurrgence of Michael Vick and the addition of Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and re-signing Asante Samuel the Eagles's talent sheet seems to be out of depression and revived.
Ravens ALT (1996 - 1998)
Baltimore Ravens Alternate (1996 - 1998)
The Baltimore Ravens have long been one of the most feared defenses on the field, and the most feared men off the field. Whether they're stripping wide receivers or themselves, the Ravens have always been loaded on one side of the ball. Their '90s black raven wings spread alternative logo actually predates their defensive dominance; it seems like a worthy candidate for a revival.
Cincinnati Bengals (1997 - 2003)
Cincinnati Bengals (1997 - 2003)
The Bengals have been around for 44 years, but have only twelve winning seasons, including just two in the past 20 years. Unfortunately, neither of those came when they were rocking this snarling tiger logo (the team actually posted a 2-14 season, a 3-13 season, and a pair of 4-12 seasons in that span). Still a dope logo though.
Chicago Cardinals ALT (1958 - 1959)
Chicago Cardinals Alternate (1958 - 1959)
Chicago? Yup, before a stop in St. Louis, the Cardinals started in the Chi. This is the best image we could find, but you get the idea: a running cardinal between script on some Bugs Bunny ish. Lose the script and you have a dope captain label for that varsity jacket hanging in the closet until the fall.
Baltimore Colts (1961 - 1978)
Baltimore Colts (1961 - 1978)
Before Peyton Manning was annoying us, the Indianapolis Colts were the Baltimore Colts. It was at Baltimore's Memorial Stadium where the Colts became the first team to have cheerleaders. The use of this logo coincided with some of the team's glory years, including a Super Bowl win in 1970.
Kansas City Chiefs (1970 - 1971)
Kansas City Chiefs (1970 - 1971)
What's terrifying and politically incorrect? Yes, "The Kansas City Chiefs half-naked Indian wielding a tomahawk running with a football over the Midwest is the correct answer." Before the Chiefs adapted the arrowhead as their logo they were the Dallas Texans and sported a cowboy running with a pistol and a football tucked under his arm. Offensive or not this logo would look pretty fresh on any varsity jacket or snapback.
Tennessee Oilers (1997 - 1998)
Houston/Tennessee Oilers (1960 - 1998)
When the team debuted as the Oilers in 1960, the club's logo was an oil rig. Except for minor color changes throughout the years, this logo remained the same until the team was renamed the Titans in 1999. The logo was originally called "Ol' Riggy" but this was thankfully dropped before the start of the 1974 season.
Although, the oil rig is not featured in any part of the current Titan logo, the Ol' Riggy has made for some fashionable street wear, making any snapback collection complete.
Seahawks (1976 - 2001)
Seattle Seahawks (1976 - 2001)
An all-time favorite is the blue and green seahawk head with an Egyptian hieroglyphic eye. The current logo is a modernized version, along with a change in uniforms from subtle to flamboyant...not a good look is an understatement.
St. Louis Rams Helmet Logo (1995 - 1999)
Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams (1950 - 1963, 1973-1999)
Simply a classic, whether on the West Coast or in the midwest. Football players ram each other in the head, just like rams, so why shouldn't their helmets look like ram horns? The L.A. Rams went to a navy blue and white colorway for much of the '60s, which was ill in its own way, but the new, modernist gold and blue leaves us feeling cold. They adopted the new colorway immediately after winning the franchise's only Super Bowl in 1999; aside from a Super Bowl loss to Captain Brady and the Pats, they haven't sniffed such success since. Curse?
Oakland Raiders (1963)
Oakland Raiders (1963)
Those Oakland Raiders, the guys that put the fun in dysfunctional have had 3 logo changes since the birth of their franchise. The black and silver backdrop for a Raider head on swords and shield is one of the most intimidating active logos. Lately though, the team's been more Jolly Roger than snarling pirate.
Jets #2 logo (1978 - 1997)
Jets (1978 - 1997)
J-E-T-S Jets! Jets! Jets! This logo actually coincided with a vast dark age for the team, but it's still dope enough for marijuana-loving artists like Curren$y to have adopted this symbol, forcing street wear fashion to get on board and take flight. The Jets went pseudo-old school with a new logo in '98, but, let's face it, it sucks, and since there's such nostalgia for the '80s and '90s now, maybe a return to this is in order?
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976 - 1996)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1976 - 1996)
Another sick logo for a then-hapless team, we can't fault the squad for trying to change things up in the '90s, and they have been much better since dropping Bucco Bruce. Still, it's fresh on threads and we're glad it was made a primary logo once upon a time.
New England Patriots (1965 - 1970)
New England Patriots (1965 - 1970)
Our favorite old school logo has to be the Patriot in red, white, and blue about to hike the football for the New England Patriots. This guy actually looks a tougher than Tom Brady; then again, this guy doesn't have three Super Bowl rings and Giselle Bundchen on his arm.