The New England Patriots are wearing throwback jerseys and helmets tonight against the Miami Dolphins. The Pat the Patriot logo has a special place in fans’ hearts, even though most of the team’s success has come in some version of the silver, white, and blue jerseys.
Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Andre Tippett said, “There’s nothing like the old throwback jerseys. I’d love to see more people representing old-school football.” Tippett wore these throwback jerseys during most of his Patriots career, which started in 1982.
When Did Pat the Patriot First Appear?
According to Patriots.com, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissel drew a “Pat Patriot,” a Revolutionary War figure, for the team’s game day programs. Team owner Bill Sullivan liked the image of the cartoon figure snapping the ball so much that he made it the team’s official logo.
For the next three decades, Pat the Patriot was the logo on the team’s white helmet. The team mainly wore red jerseys with white pants at home and white jerseys and red pants on the road. This was the basic element of the uniform for over 30 years.
When Did Pat the Patriot Leave the Helmets?
In 1993, the Patriots dramatically changed the look of the helmet and uniform. The jerseys and pants were blue and silver, and there was a silver helmet. Pat the Patriot was replaced on the team’s helmet by a new logo that fans call “The Flying Elvis” because of the design.
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The team has changed the uniforms a few times over the year, but “The Flying Elvis” has remained on the helmets.
Pat the Patriot’s Triumphant Return
The NFL had teams wear throwback jerseys in 1994 to celebrate the league’s 75th anniversary. New England wore uniforms from the 1960 preseason with a helmet featuring Pat the Patriot for throwback uniforms three times during the season. The Patriots were wearing these throwbacks during Robert Kraft’s first win as team owner.
The team wore throwbacks once during the 2002 season and four times in 2009. In the following three seasons, New England wore throwbacks once each year. After the 2012 season, the NFL banned alternate helmets from being used for player safety.
The Patriots did not want to mix the past red throwback jerseys with the team’s current silver helmets and campaigned for the NFL to change the rule. The change was approved in 2022, and the team was able to wear the Pat the Patriot logo on the helmets.
Ali Towle, Vice President of Customer Marketing and Brand Kraft Sports + Entertainment, said, “We wanted to stay pure to that original throwback, and so that’s why we waited and kept lobbying the league to change it back. We fought the good fight.”