Throwback NFL (vintage 1970s)

1/21/2023

(most recently updated 2/12/2024, after Super Bowl LVIII [58] was played)
When I was growing up in the 1970s, one of my favorite collections was a set of miniature plastic National Football League helmets. I recently happened to find them again, and now that nearly 50 years have passed, it is interesting to look back at what has changed in the NFL since then.

During the '70s there were only 28 teams. So that was 14 teams per conference, which did not divide up very well. There were only three divisions in each conference, so two divisions consisted of five teams each, while one division consisted of four teams.

Since 2002 there have been 32 teams, or 16 per conference, which divides up nicely into four divisions, each consisting of four teams. During the intervening years, some teams moved to new locations, new divisions and/or new conferences, and obviously there has been a net gain of four teams. In the photos below, I have grouped the 1970s teams into their current conferences/divisions as a framework for discussing some of the changes that have taken place.

Note: this page does not discuss anything prior to the 1966 season (even though the history of the NFL and its predecessors began long before that). In 1966, there was still both an NFL (with 15 teams) and an AFL (with 9 teams). But after their respective seasons ended, the first NFL-AFL Championship game was played. Retroactively, this game came to be referred to as "Super Bowl I", so I consider the 1966 season to be the beginning of the Super Bowl era. The NFL and AFL merged in 1970 to form the modern NFL (consisting of the NFC and AFC), and that is the arrangement which remains essentially the same today, and which was in place when I was a kid who started collecting these football helmets.

AFC East

Buffalo Bills: existed prior to the 1966 season. A different helmet design featuring a standing red bison was used until the 1974 season, when the design shown above was adopted. In 1984 they switched to a red helmet shell, but in 2011 returned to a white shell and essentially the same design as above. They have not played in a Super Bowl since 1994, meaning they have the seventh-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (30 years).  In addition, they are one of only two teams (along with Minnesota) that have four Super Bowl losses and zero wins. But for Buffalo, their four losses came in four consecutive Super Bowls.

Miami Dolphins: 1966 was their first season in the AFL. The helmet design shown above remained essentially the same until 2012, when the current helmet redesign was adopted.  They have two Super Bowl wins. However, they have not played in a Super Bowl since 1985, meaning they have the fifth-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (39 years).

New England Patriots: organization existed prior to the 1966 season, but they were the Boston Patriots until 1971. The helmet logo shown above was used until 1992, when the team switched to the current design. They hold the record for most Super Bowl appearances (11), and are tied with the Steelers for most Super Bowl wins (6). They are also tied with the Broncos for most Super Bowl losses (5).

New York Jets: existed prior to the 1966 season. The helmet design shown here was adopted in 1978. Prior to that they used a white helmet shell with a green football-shaped logo, and in 1998 they switched back to a retro helmet design similar to the original. Then in 2019 they changed again; the current helmets look similar to the one shown above, although the logo is different.  They have one Super Bowl win and zero losses. However, they have not played in a Super Bowl since 1969, meaning they have the third-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (55 years).

AFC North

Baltimore Ravens: no helmet shown because they did not exist in the '70s; 1996 was their first season in the NFL, when the Cleveland Browns were moved to Baltimore (actually it's more complicated than that). The Ravens' helmet design has remained essentially the same since 1996. They have two Super Bowl wins and zero losses.

Cincinnati Bengals: 1968 was their first season in the AFL. The helmet design shown above was used until 1981, when it was changed to the current "tiger stripes" design. They have three Super Bowl losses and zero wins.

Cleveland Browns: existed prior to the 1966 season. Officially, the team is considered to have suspended operations from the 1996 season through the 1999 season, and then reactivated. Their logo-less helmet has remained the same since before the Super Bowl era. One of four teams that have never played in a Super Bowl; they are tied with the Detroit Lions for the longest Super Bowl drought, 58 years (although, due to their temporary deactivation, Cleveland has played only 55 seasons in the NFL).

Pittsburgh Steelers: existed prior to the 1966 season. They are the only NFL team that uses their logo on only one side of the helmet. The helmet design has remained essentially the same, except from 2007-2012 they used a yellow helmet shell instead of black. They are tied with the Patriots for most Super Bowl wins (6), and are tied with the Cowboys, Broncos, and 49ers for second-most Super Bowl appearances (8), behind only the Patriots.

AFC South

Houston Texans: no helmet because they did not exist in the '70s; 2002 was their first season in the NFL, and their helmet design has not changed since then. One of four teams that have never played in a Super Bowl. However, Houston joined the NFL relatively recently, and there are eleven franchises with Super Bowl droughts longer than the Texans (21 years). On the other hand, the Texans are the only remaining team that has never even played in its conference championship game.

Indianapolis Colts: organization existed prior to the 1966 season, but they were the Baltimore Colts until 1984. Their helmet design has remained essentially unchanged. They have two Super Bowl wins. In the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance they represented the NFL, but in their next three appearances they represented the AFC.

Jacksonville Jaguars: no helmet because they did not exist in the '70s; 1995 was their first season in the NFL. One of four teams that have never played in a Super Bowl. However, as a team that joined the NFL relatively recently, they are tied with the Dallas Cowboys for only the ninth-longest Super Bowl drought (28 years).

Tennessee Titans: no helmet because they did not exist in the '70s. However their predecessor (the Houston Oilers, helmet shown above) existed prior to the 1966 season. That organization was moved to Tennessee in 1997 and played as the Tennessee Oilers until 1999. The Oilers never made it to the Super Bowl, and the Titans have not played in a Super Bowl since 2000, meaning they have the tenth-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (24 years). That was their one Super Bowl appearance, and they lost.

AFC West

Denver Broncos: existed prior to the 1966 season. The helmet design shown above was used until 1997, when they switched to the current design. They are tied with the Cowboys, Steelers, and 49ers for second-most Super Bowl appearances (8), behind only the Patriots. They have three Super Bowl wins, but they are also tied with the Patriots for most Super Bowl losses (5).

Kansas City Chiefs: existed prior to the 1966 season. Their helmet design has remained essentially the same.  They have four Super Bowl wins.

Las Vegas Raiders: organization existed prior to the 1966 season, but they were the Oakland Raiders until 1982, then the Los Angeles Raiders until 1995, then the Oakland Raiders again until 2020.  Through all of that, their helmet design has remained essentially the same. The franchise has three Super Bowl wins.

Los Angeles Chargers: organization existed prior to the 1966 season, but they were the San Diego Chargers until 2017. Their helmet has always featured the arc-shaped lightning bolt, but the helmet shell was white until 1974, then dark blue (as shown above), then white again in 2007. In 2020 they added players' numbers to the helmets. This franchise has not played in a Super Bowl since 1995, meaning they have the eighth-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (29 years).  That was their one Super Bowl appearance, and they lost.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys: existed prior to the 1966 season; this helmet design has remained essentially unchanged. They have not played in a Super Bowl since 1996, meaning they are tied with Jacksonville for the ninth-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (28 years). They are tied with the 49ers for second-highest number of Super Bowl wins (5), behind the Patriots and Steelers. They are tied with the Broncos, Steelers, and 49ers for second-most Super Bowl appearances (8), behind only the Patriots.

New York Giants: existed prior to the 1966 season. The helmet shown above was in use from 1976-1994, but both prior to that and afterwards, a stylized "NY" has been used on the helmet. They are tied with the Packers for third-highest number of Super Bowl wins (4), behind the Patriots, Steelers, Cowboys, and 49ers.

Philadelphia Eagles: existed prior to the 1966 season. From 1970-73 they used a white helmet shell with green wings, but ever since then the helmet design has remained essentially as shown above. They have one Super Bowl win.

Washington Commanders: organization existed prior to the 1966 season, but they were the Washington Redskins until 2020, then the Washington Football Team until 2022. The team still uses the same colors, but the Redskins logo shown here has been retired. This franchise has three Super Bowl wins. However, they have not played in a Super Bowl since 1992, meaning they have the sixth-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (32 years).

NFC North

Chicago Bears: existed prior to the 1966 season. Initially the "C" logo was only white, but in 1973 orange was added (as shown above), and the helmet design has remained essentially unchanged since then.  They have one Super Bowl win.

Detroit Lions: existed prior to the 1966 season. This helmet design has remained essentially the same, although the Lion logo has seen minor changes. One of four teams that have never played in a Super Bowl; they are tied with the Cleveland Browns for the longest Super Bowl drought (58 years, although there were three seasons during which Cleveland did not play in the NFL, so arguably their drought is not quite as long as Detroit's).

Green Bay Packers: existed prior to the 1966 season, and this helmet design has not changed.  They are tied with the Giants for third-highest number of Super Bowl wins (4), behind the Patriots, Steelers, Cowboys, and 49ers.

Minnesota Vikings: existed prior to the 1966 season, and this helmet design has remained essentially the same.  They have not played in a Super Bowl since 1977, meaning they have the fourth-longest Super Bowl drought in the NFL (47 years). In addition, they are one of only two teams (along with Buffalo) that have four Super Bowl losses and zero wins.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons: 1966 was their first season in the NFL. The helmet design shown above was in use until 1990. At that time the team switched to black helmet shells, and in 2003 they revised the falcon logo. They have two Super Bowl losses and zero wins.

Carolina Panthers: no helmet because they did not exist in the '70s; 1995 was their first season in the NFL. They have two Super Bowl losses and zero wins.

New Orleans Saints: 1967 was their first season in the NFL; the helmet design shown above has remained essentially unchanged. They have one Super Bowl win and zero losses.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 1976 was their first season in the NFL. The helmet design shown above was in use until a major redesign in 1997, followed by a minor logo redesign in 2014. They have two Super Bowl wins and zero losses.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals: organization existed prior to the 1966 season, but they were the St. Louis Cardinals until 1988, then the Phoenix Cardinals until 1994. The helmet design shown above has remained essentially unchanged. They have played in only one Super Bowl, and lost.

Los Angeles Rams: existed prior to the 1966 season. Became the St. Louis Rams in 1995, then became the Los Angeles Rams again in 2016. The helmet design shown above was introduced in 1973. Prior to that, the rams horn was white instead of yellow. In 2000 the rams horn was changed to gold. They have two Super Bowl wins.

San Francisco 49ers: existed prior to the 1966 season; the helmet design has remained essentially the same since then. They are tied with the Cowboys for second-highest number of Super Bowl wins (5), behind the Patriots and Steelers. They have the second-highest number of Super Bowl appearances (8), behind only the Patriots, and tied with the Steelers, Cowboys, and Broncos.

Seattle Seahawks: 1976 was their first season in the NFL. The helmet design shown above remained the same until 2002, when the helmet shell was changed to blue and the Seahawk logo was modified slightly. They have one Super Bowl win.

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