Logo of the University of California at Santa Barbara Gauchos, a school that has had a football program twice in it’s existence. Although they haven’t fielded a gridiron team since 1969, the Gauchos have had some representation in the pro ranks, as former players Johnny Morris, Dave Chapple, Sam Cathcart and coach Mike Martz have spent time in the NFL.
Logo of a small college football team that plays in the Sun Belt Conference, the Old Dominion Monarchs. The school began play in 1930 but dropped football and restarted the program in 2009. They also competed in 2 other leagues before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2022. Former Monarchs who have enjoyed pro football careers include Taylor Heinicke, Travis Fulgham, Zach Pascal and Rick Lovato.
Logo of an FCS college football team that plays in the Missouri Valley Conference, the North Dakota Fighting Hawks. The school played its’ first season in 1894, and from 1973 until 2008 competed in Division III, winning the national championship at that level in 2001. Fighting Hawk alumni who have enjoyed careers in pro football include Jim Kleinsasser, Erroll Mann, Kenny Golliday, Jim LeClair, Chris Kuper and Dave Osborn.
Not an official logo of the team, this was a logo used on the 1968 and 1969 set of Topps football cards of Buffalo Bills’ players. Being that the NFL and AFL had agreed to a merger by then, the set included cards of players from both leagues. The Bills fell on hard times at this point after being a top club in earlier AFL years, and the fact that all other teams had their regular logos used on their cards was just another sign of disrespect Buffalo’s team had to endure.
Logo of a Canadian minor hockey team of the past, the Moose Jaw Canucks. They were founding members of the Western Canada Junior Hockey League, beginning play in 1966. The franchise disbanded when the Winnipeg Warriors moved to Moose Jaw in 1984. Notable former Moose Jaw alumni include Larry Popein, Al Rollins, Willie DesJardins, Fred Sasakamoose and Chris Chelios.
This is the iconic logo of an original six National Hockey League team, the Chicago Blackhawks. Founded in 1926, the franchise has won a total of 6 Stanley Cup championships over the years, with half of those coming in a 5 year span from 2010 to 2015. The Hawks boast an amazing 51 Hall of Fame inductees, including such luminaries as Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Tony Esposito, Glenn Hall, Chris Chelios, Denis Savard and Marion Hossa.
Hardly a “classic” logo, this is the official logo of the newly re-branded Washington Commanders, a team that plays in the National Football League and was formerly known as the Redskins and the unimaginative “Football Team”. The franchise played in Boston in the early NFL years, then moved to Washington in 1937, winning the league championship that year. They also were champs in 1942 and have won 3 Super Bowls in 5 appearances in the title game. There are 32 former Washington players, coaches and management people in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, 20 of which had most of their accomplishments playing in the nation’s capital.
Logo of a small college football team that plays in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Fayetteville State Broncos. The school won a pair of CIAA championships in 2002 and 2003. The Broncos have only sent one player to the pros, former Oakland Raider Blenda Gay, but their alumni include former major league pitcher Jim Bibby and pro wrestler Junkyard Dog.
Not a team logo, but the official logo of the National Football League’s 2000 college player draft. The annual selection meeting was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where it was held every year until the league put it up for bidding to different cities. Two Penn State teammates, Courtney Brown and LaVar Arrington, were the top 2 picks. The most famous, and most successful selection of this draft came in the sixth round at pick 199 – quarterback Tom Brady.
Logo of a pro football team that played in the short-lived United Football League, the Omaha Nighthawks. The team joined the league as an expansion franchise in 2010, with Netsuite software mogul Zach Nelson as majority owner. The team name was chosen by a fan vote, and was derived from the F-117 Nighthawk, a stealth fighter used by the U.S. Air Force. The league suspended operations part way through the 2012 season, and the Nighthawks finished with a 6-10 record for their 2 1/2 years of existence.