National Football League
American Football Conference - West Division
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| DENVER BRONCOS | KANSAS CITY CHIEFS | OAKLAND RAIDERS |
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| SAN DIEGO CHARGERS |
Historical Helmets
DENVER BRONCOS
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 - 1961; October 11, 2009 |
1962 preseason(?) | 1962 |
| *see note 1 below | *see note 2 below | *see note 3 below |
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|---|---|---|
| 1962 - 1965, 1994 special |
1966 | 1967 |
| *see note 4 below |
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| 1968 - 1974 | 1975 - 1996; November 22, 2001 |
1997 - |
*1 In addition to the 1960-1961 period, this helmet design was brought back for use during the home game against New England in 2009.
*2 The logo-less helmet was used for at least one game during the 1962 preseason, but apparently not at all during the regular season.
*3 The brown bronco logo was apparently used for only a game or two of the 1962 regular season before white versions of the decal could be ordered.
*4 Some sources indicate that, in 1964 and 1965, the white stripe was flanked on either side by two blue stripes. Below is the only photograph I have from this era, which appears inconclusive (at least to me) on this matter. If anyone has a clearer photograph (especially a color one) from these two seasons, I'd greatly appreciate a copy of it.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS including Dallas Texans
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 - 1962; October 11, 2009 |
1963 - 1973 | 1974 - |
| *see note 1 below | *see note 2 below |
*1 This franchise was originally based in Dallas and known as the 'Texans'; this is the helmet used by the Dallas Texans from 1960 through 1962. The team moved to Kansas City and changed its name to the 'Chiefs' for the 1963 season.
This design was used once again during the 2009 home game against Dallas.
*2 The arrowhead logo was significantly larger during this period than on the current helmet, and the black outlines around the arrowhead and the letters "KC" were narrower.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 | c.1960 - 1962 | 1963; September 14, 2009 |
| *see note 1 below |
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| 1994 special | 1964 - |
The Raiders were based in Los Angeles from 1982 through 1994, and in Oakland throughout the rest of their history.
*1 This historical design was brought back for use during the home game against San Diego in 2009.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1961 - 1965; 1967 - 1973 |
1963 - 1964 |
| *see note 1 below | *see note 2 below |
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| 1966 | 1974 - 1987 | some games in 1994, 2000, 2002, & 2003 |
| *see note 3 below |
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| 1988 - 2006 | 2007 - |
The Chargers were based in Los Angeles for their first year only (1960) and have been located in San Diego since then.
*1 The color of the outline around the gold lightning bolt may have changed from blue to black during these years, but I have not attempted to depict both of these possible variations here.
*2 A shield-shaped logo containing the text "ALL-AMERICA CITY" and "SAN DIEGO" was worn at the front of the helmet by SOME players during SOME games during these two seasons.
*3 The Chargers have used white helmets a number of times in recent years: for several games during the 1994 season (which was the NFL's 75th anniversary); on October 29, 2000 for a home game against the Oakland Raiders (as part of the team's recognition of its 40th anniversary); on November 3, 2002 for a home game against the New York Jets; and on September 21, 2003, during a home game against the Baltimore Ravens. The numeral style varied to at least some degree on these occasions. While I have several photographs from the 2002 season, I have found only a single one from 1994 (the one shown at Mike Stanhope's web site); a comparison of these implies that the numerals used in 2002 were both larger and bolder than those used in 1994, and that neither was necessarily a close match for the numerals used during the 1960s and 1970s. I would appreciate additional photographs from the 1994 season and from the October 29, 2000 game, so that I can more accurately identify the differences in these helmets.
