10. Indianapolis Colts: It may be an extremely simple design, but the horseshoe seen on Indianapolis' helmet is a perfect symbol of the Colts franchise. The blue-and-white combination looks great on the uniforms, and the logo is not too overwhelming. Apart from a slight tweaking to the logo in 2002, the Indianapolis Colts have left the horseshoe virtually untouched since 1984. The simplicity and history associated with Indianapolis' logo makes it well deserving of the tenth spot on our countdown.
9. Philadelphia Eagles: In 1996, the Philadelphia Eagles organization transformed their logo from a realistic eagle clutching a football in its talons, to a cartoon version of a bald eagle's head. Despite its cartoony design, the Eagles' intimidating glare makes this logo a masterpiece. The silver and green go well together, and just like the insanely popular app Angry Birds, this bird is here to stay.
8. San Diego Chargers: After their logo featured the San Diego Chargers helmet from 1974 to 2001, the San Diego organization decided to simplify things by transitioning to a lone lightning bolt. Originally, the bolt was white with a yellow outline, but in 2007, the bolt turned yellow with different shades of blue lining the edges. Whatever a "Charger" may be, the yellow and blue lightning bolt is a perfect symbol of this electric San Diego franchise.
7. Green Bay Packers: In 1961, or so the story goes, legendary Packers coach Vince Lombardi asked his equipment manager for a team logo, and the result was the Packers "G". The "G" stands for Green Bay, and its shape supposedly models after the irregular shape of a football. The green and yellow was not added to Green Bay's logo until 1980. The Packers organization have their design heavily copyrighted, as they believe their design is one of the best in sports. I love the story associated with this logo, and the colors look extraordinary as they outline the Green Bay "G".
6. Oakland Raiders: After changing their logo three times in five years, the Oakland Raiders finally found their logo in 1964 that is the same general design seen on the uniforms today. Al Davis changed the color scheme to black and silver, and after several minor changes, the logo consisted of a silver pirate wearing Oakland's helmet. In contrast with the silver pirate was a black shield, where the word "Raiders" was etched at the top. The general design has been left untouched for close to 50 years, and is regarded as one of the best in the National Football League.
5. Atlanta Falcons: The top 5. This is where we start to analyze some of the best logos in sports. The Atlanta Falcons logo shows a red and black hawk soaring through the air, talons at the ready. This falcon is shaped like the letter "F", a creative addition to an already fantastic logo. The red and black duo looks absolutely fantastic, and this logo is clearly deserving of a top 5 spot.
4. Minnesota Vikings: For the first time since 1966, the Minnesota Vikings organization has decided to modify their logo. Though the changes are rather small, the bold black streaks through theViking's hair adds a certain crispness to this logo. Purple and gold is a unique color tandem in the National Football League, and the designer of this particular logo had some creativity in order to successfully include both colors into the design. Though I like the current Minnesota helmets that just feature two horns on either side, these logos are too good to not be seen on every helmet.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers: In 1969, a Republic Steel based in Cleveland recommended to the Steelers organization that they adopt the industry logo. This logo features three astroids, where the three different colors represent the the ingredients needed to make steel; red for iron ore, blue for scrap steel, and yellow to make coal. The original industry logo had the word steel inscribed inside, but Steelers gained permission to add E-R-S to their brand new logo. Unlike other logos in the league, the Pittsburgh Steelers have a complicated story behind the symbol of their franchise, which is why the Pittsburgh Steelers logo ranks number three on our list.
2. Detroit Lions: The Detroit Lions' logo is very straightforward; an intimidating lion on its hind legs, ready to do battle. Minor details were added in 2009 to this logo, which clearly makes the logo look more realistic. Though I am sure there is no such thing as a blue lion living in the wild, the "honolulu-blue" mixed with white makes this logo a tasteful masterpiece. The minor changes in 2009 helped this logo sky-rocket upwards in terms of popularity, and with only one logo left to be named in our countdown, the Lions organization should be happy with a number two ranking.
1. Denver Broncos: Though I am a huge fan of the Denver Broncos logo from the 70s and 80s, today's logo is the best in all of football. The glistening orange mane incorporates Denver's primary color, while the blue shadows streaking through its white hair includes the secondary color. Since the logo was introduced by the franchise in 1997, this particular logo has been one of my favorites in all of sports. The grimacing look of sheer determination seen on the Broncos face represents the kind of attitude organizations look for in their players. I would not be surprised if some people do not agree with my first choice, so be sure to comment your rankings in the comment section below.
