Arizona Cardinals Logo History: 1947 to Today
Posted by JerseyZenith on Oct 26th 2026
- Printed materials show a Northern cardinal perched on football laces.
- The table below runs from 1947–1959 to 2025.
- Photos show uniforms and equipment; standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
This guide covers the Arizona Cardinals logo and helmet marks from the first design to 2026, mostly from Wikipedia and team news. It does not cover every minor change.
Arizona Cardinals logo history timeline
| Year | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1947–1959 | Printed materials show a Northern cardinal perched on football laces | Chicago Cardinals |
| 1960 | Cardinal-head drawing added to both sides of the helmet; print logo of a cardinal with a football before the Gateway Arch | Move to St. Louis |
| 1982–1995 | Cardinal head also on the sleeve of the white jersey | Sleeve mark |
| 1989 | Arizona state flag added to the sleeves | The year after the move to Phoenix |
| 1994 | Team becomes the Arizona Cardinals on March 17; interlocking "CC" used for the 75th-anniversary throwbacks | Name change |
| 1994 | Helmet logos removed for two games | At Cleveland and against Pittsburgh |
| 1996 | Cardinal head removed from the sleeves; state flag moves higher; blue replaces black as accent | Shorter sleeves |
| 2005 | Cardinal head redrawn, sleeker and more aggressive; black returns as an accent | Replaced the "parakeet" |
| 2022 | Black alternate helmet | Alternate helmets return |
| 2025 | Rivalries cardinal-head decal in red and white with copper trim | Sand Rivalries uniform |
This guide describes logos in words and tables. Standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
Chicago and St. Louis (1947 to 1987)
Programs and letterheads in Chicago showed a Northern cardinal perched on football laces. When the team moved to St. Louis in 1960 it put a cardinal-head drawing on both sides of the helmet, and the print logo became a cardinal carrying a football in front of the Gateway Arch. The cardinal head was on the white jersey sleeve from 1982.
Phoenix and Arizona (1988 to 2004)
The Arizona state flag joined the sleeves in 1989, after the 1988 move to Phoenix. The team became the Arizona Cardinals on March 17, 1994, and used an interlocking "CC" logo for its 75th-anniversary throwback program. In 1996 the cardinal head left the sleeves.
The 2005 redraw and today
In 2005 the cardinal head was redrawn to look sleeker and more aggressive; fans had nicknamed the older version the "parakeet." Black returned as an accent. In 2025 the Rivalries uniform used a red and white cardinal-head decal with copper trim.
Cardinals helmet and logo placement
The helmet has been white for most of the team's history. Cardinal-head drawings were added in 1960, a black alternate helmet came in 2022, and the 2023 uniforms use white helmets with silver facemasks and silver flakes.
Reading the Cardinals timeline: old logo, new logo
Fans search for the Cardinals logo, the Cardinals old logo and the Cardinals new logo, and this page answers all three. The newest entry is the last row of the table; earlier rows are older logos and wordmarks. A logo can change on the helmet, on the sleeves or on the chest at different times, so the same year can appear in more than one row. To date an older jersey, compare the product photo with the table: look at the wordmark, the sleeve mark and the facemask color. Where the sources we read disagree or give no year, the table leaves the year out rather than guess.
Logo changes and jersey changes
A logo and a jersey do not always change together. For the uniform side of the story, read the Arizona Cardinals uniform history and the Arizona Cardinals jerseys 2026 guide. For retired-player styles, see legends jerseys.
Old logo, new logo: which jersey to buy
If you like an older look, Arizona Cardinals jerseys is the place to start. If you want what the team wears now, choose the current home or away jersey. Nike Game is the everyday tier and Limited adds sewn-on numbers; compare them in the Nike Game vs Limited vs Elite guide, and check the NFL jersey size chart. Men's, women's and youth sizes are available. Logo patches and decals vary by style, so look at the product photo before you order.
Arizona Cardinals Logo History FAQ
What is the Arizona Cardinals logo?
A red cardinal head.
What was the St. Louis Cardinals NFL logo?
A cardinal-head drawing on the helmet from 1960 and a print logo of a cardinal before the Gateway Arch.
Why do fans say "parakeet"?
The pre-2005 cardinal head was nicknamed that.
When did the Cardinals become the Arizona Cardinals?
March 17, 1994.