Logo of an FBS college football team that plays in the Sun Belt Conference, the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers. Their program has existed since 2003, and used to be members of the Big South Conference. They have racked up 8 conference titles, 7 of them in the Big South. Former Chanticleers who have gone on to play in the NFL include Josh Norman, Tyler Thigpen, Mike Tolbert and Jerome Simpson. By the way, a Chanticleer is a fictitious proud and fierce rooster who dominates the barnyard.
Logo of a Division I FCS college football team from the Missouri Valley Conference, the University of South Dakota Coyotes. The school fielded it’s first team in 1889, and has made 2 small college playoff appearances. Former Coyotes who have gone on to play pro football include Ordell Braase, Tom Compton and Ben Long.
Logo of a short-lived football team from the old World Football League, the Charlotte Stars. The team came into existence as the New York Stars, but in 1974 as they were getting ready for their next road game, coach Babe Parilli announced that the team would be moving, effective immediately, to Charlotte. Desperate to provide a new logo for the team, an equipment manager slapped a Chicago Bears’ “C” over the New York logo. After just a few days the team changed its’ name to the Hornets, and eventually died along with the rest of the league after the 1975 season.
Logo of a defunct team that had a short stint in the National Hockey League, the Cleveland Barons. The franchise began operations in 1967 as the Oakland Seals, was rebranded as the California Golden Seals and after failing to catch on in the Bay Area, was relocated to Cleveland. The Barons only lasted 2 seasons there, however, and in 1978 ceased operations, with the players merging with the Minnesota North Stars’ franchise. Some notable players who spent time in Cleveland were Mike Crombeen, Chuck Arnason, Mike Fidler, Dave Gardner, Dennis Maruk, Wayne Merrick, Walt McKechnie, Jim Pappin and Gilles Meloche.
Logo of a college football team that plays in the Sun Belt Conference, the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Their program began play in 1928 and they’ve won 22 conference titles. Mountaineer alumni who have gone on to play pro football include Dexter Coakley, Travaris Cadet, Larry Hand, Derrick Graham, Dino Hackett, Sam Martin, Mark Royals, Bjorn Nittmo and Matt Stevens.
Alternate logo of a high school football team that plays in Section VI in Western New York state, the West Seneca West Indians. The logo is also the prime logo of the school’s wrestling team. The Indians’ gridiron program is one of the state’s most respected, and won the NYS Class A state championship in 2017.
Logo of a rabid fan base that lives and dies by its’ local NFL team’s fortunes, the Bills’ Mafia. The term is so widely known, used and loved by the Buffalo Bills’ fan base that the team actually trademarked the name. Members of the group have been involved in donating to charities over the years, including donations to Bengal QB Andy Dalton’s charity after he engineered an upset over Baltimore that sent the Bills to the playoffs in 2017, and to Oshei Children’s Hospital, Josh Allen’s favored charity, after the young quarterback’s grandmother passed away.
Not a team logo, but the logo used for the 1990 NFL draft. The first pick of the draft was quarterback Jeff George, secured by the Indianapolis Colts via a trade with Atlanta. That year’s class produced 5 future Hall of Famers in Emmitt Smith, Shannon Sharpe, Cortez Kennedy, Junior Seau and John Randle, who was undrafted.
Used from 1996 until 2000, this is the logo of a college football team that plays in the Mountain West Conference, the Utah State Aggies. The school played it’s first gridiron season in 1892 and has won 12 conference titles over the years. The list of former Aggies who have enjoyed pro football careers is long, and includes Bob Gagliano, Lionel Aldridge, Jim Turner, Bobby Wagner, Al Smith, Barry Sims, Altie Taylor, Len Rohde, Donald Penn, Bill Munson, MacArthur Lane, Rulon Jones, Cornell Green and Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen.
Logo of a Division II college football team that plays in the South Atlantic Conference, the Catawba College Indians. The NCAA cited the school for it’s “abusive” nickname, but after appealing to continue to use the name, citing the approval of the Catawba Indian Nation, the NCAA relented. Catawba alumni who have gone on to pro football careers include Bucky Pope, a Rams’ receiver who was nicknamed “The Catawba Claw”, Ike Hill, Dave Taylor and Drew Buie.