Carolina Panthers Logo History: 1993 to Today

This guide covers the Carolina Panthers logo and helmet marks from the first design to 2026, mostly from Wikipedia and team news. It does not cover every minor change.

Carolina Panthers logo history timeline

This guide describes logos in words and tables. Standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.

The original panther head (1993 to 2011)

The Panthers announced their logo and helmet design before they played a game. The team said the shape of the logo was designed to mimic the outlines of North Carolina and South Carolina, according to Wikipedia. A first wordmark debuted in 1995, and a second wordmark was used from 1996 to 2011.

The 2012 redesign

In 2012 the team changed its logo and logotype, the first such change in franchise history. It said the aim was an "aggressive, contemporary look" with a more three-dimensional feel. The changes included a more pronounced brow and fangs and a darker blue over the black logo, which replaced the older teal-like shade. A third wordmark began the same year.

Alternate helmets and the collar (2022 to now)

After the NFL reinstated alternate helmets, the Panthers introduced a secondary black helmet in 2022 with no white elements on the logo. The Keep Pounding phrase honoring Sam Mills appears on the collar of the uniform, not on the helmet. In 2026 the team wears the black helmet with its blue alternate in Week 1.

Panthers helmet and logo placement

The helmet design was finalized in 1993 before the team was announced as the league's 29th franchise. The black alternate helmet from 2022 pairs with the black and blue alternate uniforms.

Reading the Panthers timeline: old logo, new logo

Fans search for the Panthers logo, the Panthers old logo and the Panthers 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 Carolina Panthers uniform history and the Carolina Panthers jerseys 2026 guide. For retired-player styles, see legends jerseys.

Old logo, new logo: which jersey to buy

If you like an older look, Carolina Panthers 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.