Hey, what’s going on everyone?! Hope this article finds you all doing well. Well, it’s that time of year again. The end of summer is near, and soon some of us in the country will begin to experience those cool, crisp Fall days. As with the changing from Summer to Autumn, comes that one sport I wait for all year long…FOOTBALL!!! With the NFL having just kicked off, here at the Retro Resurgence, we can’t help but think back to the NFL of yesteryear and reminisce about some of those helmets and logos that have become mostly extinct. Yes, in the current day of the NFL, they do bring back those old helmets and jerseys from time to time, but not on a permanent basis. So, for this article, I’d like to give you my personal Top 5 favorite throwback NFL helmet styles and team logos!
5. CINCINNATI BENGALS
Now I know to some, this might come as a surprise, but my number 5 pick goes to the Cincinnati Bengals helmet from 1968-1981. Yes, the helmet featured only the name of BENGALS written on the helmet, but I think it doesn’t get anymore nostalgic than that. The helmets of today are cool with the tiger stripes, but I’d like to see this helmet come back for at least one game sometime soon.
4. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made their NFL debut in 1976. Needless to say, the franchise didn’t get off to a very good start. The team started their inaugural season with an 0-14 record. From 1976 to 1996, the team used orange, red, and white uniforms with a “Bucco Bruce” logo. Growing up in Wisconsin and being a Green Bay Packer fan, I remember that that the Buccaneers used to be in the NFC Central and a division rival to the Packers. I vivdly recall there being a game in Green Bay where it snowed pretty heavily. The Bucs were in their white away uniforms, and you could barely make out the players in the snowstorm if not for the red and orange from the helmets! Recently the team has brought back this logo and jersey as part of a throwback version. Sometimes this version of the uniform and helmet have been referred to as the “Dreamsicle” uniforms!
3. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL going all the way back to around 1900. Since their inception they have had many different iterations of the uniform. The uniform and logo of course that appealed to me was the one that was worn from 1985-1995. Joseph A. Scirrotto Jr. designed the silver wings within a white outline, and this style on a kelly green helmet became standard for over two decades. From 1948 to 1995, the team logo was an eagle in flight carrying a football in its claws, although from 1969 to 1972, the eagle took on a more stylized look. Fly Eagles Fly!
2. HOUSTON OILERS
The Houston Oilers were a team in the NFL from 1960-1996 before they left Houston to become the Tennessee Titans. They were a consistent playoff team from 1987to 1993, an era that included both of the team’s only division titles (1991 and 1993), as well as having the distinction of being on the losing end of the second largest comeback in NFL playoff history. One of my personal all time favorite quarterbacks was Warren Moon. The helmet color was Columbia blue with a white derrick from 1960 through 1965, silver with a Columbia blue derrick from 1966 through 1971, and Columbia blue with a white-and-scarlet derrick from 1972 through 1974, before changing to a white helmet with a Columbia blue derrick beginning in 1975 and lasting the remainder of the team’s time in Houston.
1. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The New England Patriots are an NFL team founded in 1959 first known as the Boston Patriots. My all time favorite throwback logo is from this team which was used from 1961-1992 known as “Pat Patriot”. Pat Patriot is a Revolutionary War Minuteman hiking a football. I love this logo and the uniforms that went with it consisting of red, white and blue colors. Theres just something about it that catches my attention. As we all know now, the Patriots have gone on to become a football dynasty in more recent with Tom Brady, but in the 80s they did make a Super Bowl appearance. They were blown out by the Chicago Bears in the Super Bowl of the 85-86 season. I rooted for them however, because I loved their logo and of course they were playing the hated rival of the Packers!
Well everyone, that’ll do it for my Top 5 retro NFL helmet and team logos! Let me know in the comments if some of my picks are ones you would also choose, or if you have different teams you would pick as your Top 5. Happy 2025 Football Season everybody! KEN
Chad