Kansas City Chiefs Logo History: 1960 to Today
Posted by JerseyZenith on Oct 26th 2026
- Texans: the state of Texas in white with a yellow star for Dallas, as a helmet logo.
- The table below runs from 1960 to 2014.
- Photos show uniforms and equipment; standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
This guide covers the Kansas City Chiefs logo and helmet marks from the first design to 2026, mostly from Wikipedia and team news. It does not cover every minor change.
Kansas City Chiefs logo history timeline
| Year | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Texans: the state of Texas in white with a yellow star for Dallas, as a helmet logo | Dallas Texans debut |
| Early 1960s | A football-carrying gunslinger over Texas by cartoonist Bob Taylor | Stationery and billboards, not uniforms |
| 1963 | Move to Kansas City; Taylor draws a new logo with the outlines of six states | Used in the 1960s |
| 1963 onward | White arrowhead with an interlocking "KC" on the red helmet | Sketched by Lamar Hunt |
| 1972 | Move to Arrowhead Stadium | The older logo was displayed at the Swope Park headquarters until then |
| 2014 | Uni Watch notes the "C" is sometimes open and sometimes closed | Team staff said there was "no rhyme or reason" |
This guide describes logos in words and tables. Standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
The Dallas Texans (1960 to 1962)
The Texans' helmet logo was the state of Texas in white with a yellow star marking Dallas. Cartoonist Bob Taylor drew a football-carrying gunslinger over Texas for stationery and a billboard, but it never appeared on uniforms.
The arrowhead (1963 onward)
When the team moved to Kansas City in 1963 it kept its red helmets and swapped the Texas design for a white arrowhead with a "KC" inside, outlined thinly in black. Hunt sketched it on a napkin and the interlocking letters were inspired by the 49ers' "SF" oval. Sources we read disagree on the exact start year and on a 1972 change of primary logo, so we show the 1963 helmet change only.
Modern details
In 2014 the site Uni Watch noticed the "C" in "KC" is sometimes open and sometimes closed, and team staff said there was no rhyme or reason. The helmet has stayed red throughout the franchise's history.
Chiefs helmet and logo placement
The helmet is red and has featured the arrowhead since the 1963 move; before that it showed Texas (1960–1962). The facemask was gray from 1960 to 1973 and white from 1974.
Reading the Chiefs timeline: old logo, new logo
Fans search for the Chiefs logo, the Chiefs old logo and the Chiefs 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 Kansas City Chiefs uniform history and the Kansas City Chiefs jerseys 2026 guide. For retired-player styles, see legends jerseys.
Old logo, new logo: which jersey to buy
If you like an older look, Kansas City Chiefs 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.
Kansas City Chiefs Logo History FAQ
What is the Chiefs logo?
A white arrowhead with an interlocking "KC."
Who designed the Chiefs logo?
Lamar Hunt sketched it on a napkin, per Wikipedia.
What was the Chiefs logo before the arrowhead?
The Dallas Texans used a Texas-shaped helmet logo with a star.
Is the C in the Chiefs logo open or closed?
Both appear; the team said there is no rhyme or reason.