New England Patriots Logo History: Every Change by Year
Posted by JerseyZenith on Oct 26th 2026
- First logo: Blue tri-corner hat logo on white.
- 7 logo changes are listed by year.
- Photos show uniforms and equipment; standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
- Sources are Wikipedia and team pages; secondary sources are marked.
This guide covers the New England Patriots logo history, year by year, in words and tables. It does not cover the colors, which have their own guide.
New England Patriots logo history by year
The table traces the main logo changes from the first mark to the current one. Dates come from the sources below; where sources disagree we say so.
| Year | Change | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Blue tri-corner hat logo on white | Drawn from a fan submission by Walter Pingree, a railroad employee |
| 1961 | Pat Patriot becomes the official logo | Cartoonist Phil Bissell drew the figure ready to snap the ball; owner Billy Sullivan adopted it |
| 1976–79 | Pat Patriot stays; a Bicentennial logo is shelved | NFL Properties designed it, but it was never used |
| 1980 | New logo put to a fan vote and booed | Pat stayed another 13 seasons |
| 1993 | Flying Elvis replaces Pat Patriot | Owner James Orthwein's team gave NFL Properties only a few months to design it |
| 1995 | Logo moves from the sleeves to the shoulders | Placement change in a uniform overhaul under Robert Kraft |
| 2000 | Some outlets describe a darker navy and more facial detail | The team's own history page lists no 2000 redesign; treat as unconfirmed |
The current Patriots logo
The current Patriots logo is the Flying Elvis, a stylized head in a tricorne hat whose hair is a waving flag. It has stayed the primary mark since 1993.
We describe the logo in words and use photographs of uniforms and equipment; standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
Why the Patriots logo changed
The Patriots changed from Pat Patriot to the Flying Elvis in 1993 after new ownership. The older Pat Patriot logo is still loved by fans, which is why the red throwback jersey keeps it alive.
Patriots logo, helmet and jersey today
In the Nike era the Flying Elvis appears on the navy home jersey and the helmet, while Pat Patriot comes back on the red throwback. Shop our Patriots throwback jerseys, the legends jerseys for Patriots greats and the Patriots uniform history.
A logo is only part of the uniform. For colors see the Patriots colors guide and for the year-by-year schedule see the Patriots 2026 uniforms guide.
Primary, alternate and commemorative Patriots logos
The Patriots have had few logos, so the changes are easy to follow: a tri-corner hat in 1960, Pat Patriot from 1961 to 1992 and the Flying Elvis from 1993. The Bicentennial logo of the 1970s never reached the field, and the 1995 move to the shoulders was only a placement change.
| Era | Look | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | Blue tri-corner hat on white | Rarely seen; mostly historical |
| 1961–1992 | Pat Patriot, a Revolutionary War figure ready to snap a ball | The red Pat Patriot throwback jersey |
| 1993–present | Flying Elvis, a stylized head in a tricorne hat with a flag for hair | Navy home jersey and helmet |
How we built this Patriots logo timeline
We collected the dates from the sources listed at the bottom, using the team's own pages where they exist and Wikipedia where they do not. Wikipedia is a secondary source, so we flag the entries where it is the only source and where two sources disagree. We left out anything we could not confirm, such as the Broncos' 1960 logo. Standalone logo artwork is not reproduced.
If you spot a date that looks wrong, check the team's own history page first. A logo can change on the helmet in one season and on the jersey in another, so the year here is the first public use, not always the first game.
What a Patriots logo change means when you buy a jersey
Jerseys follow the logo of their era. A current Nike jersey carries the current mark, a throwback carries an older one, and the product page shows which. If you want an older logo on your jersey, look at the throwback jerseys and compare them with the standard home and away styles in the New England Patriots jerseys range.
Shop the Patriots look
Nike jerseys carry the logo on the helmet and the chest in different ways, and a throwback or retro style often shows an older mark. Compare Game and Limited in our tier guide, or browse all throwback jerseys for retro and vintage options.
Other ways to search for the Patriots logo history
Searches such as ne patriots logo, new england patriots old logo, new england patriots new logo, new patriots logo and patriots football logo lead to the same logo history, so this page covers each of them.
Frequently asked questions
What is the New England Patriots logo?
The Flying Elvis, a stylized patriot head in a tricorne hat.
What is the old Patriots logo?
Pat Patriot, a Revolutionary War figure ready to snap a football, used from 1961 to 1992.
What was the Boston Patriots old logo?
The team used a tri-corner hat in 1960 and then Pat Patriot from 1961.
When did the Patriots change their logo?
In 1993, from Pat Patriot to the Flying Elvis.
How to draw the Patriots logo?
We do not provide logo artwork, because it is a team trademark. The description above covers the main shapes.
What is the logo for the new england patriots?
The current Patriots logo is the Flying Elvis, a stylized head in a tricorne hat with a flag for hair.
What is the patriots logo?
The current Patriots logo is the Flying Elvis, a stylized head in a tricorne hat with a flag for hair.
What is the patriots logo supposed to be?
The current Patriots logo is the Flying Elvis, a stylized head in a tricorne hat with a flag for hair.
Sources
- Patriots.com, history of the logo and uniform (official team site)
- Wikipedia, Pat Patriot (secondary source (search summary))
- Fabrik Brands, New England Patriots logo (2000 tweak; search summary only, low confidence)
- JerseyZenith catalog (seo/catalog/products.json), counted October 26, 2026