The Patriots began their NFL career in 1960 as the Boston Patriots. A simplistic blue, tri-corner hat was their logo for only a year before the Patriots saw the other, intricate teams’ logos and decided to re-brand and add a Revolutionary War minuteman under the hat (which was changed to red). “Pat Patriot” was a red, white, and blue cartoon-like character who was down in position preparing to snap the ball. Four years later, due to modernization, the logo was redrawn to look less cartoon-like and more detailed. The clothing was more intricately drawn, the face and hands were flesh-colored, and the facial expression changed to a serious one of grit and determination. In 1971, very small changes to the logo’s colors were made and the team’s name officially changed to the New England Patriots. This design lasted until 1993 where, arguably, the biggest change to the logo took place. The minuteman changed into the profile of a grey-faced man wearing a red, white, and blue cap. The tri-corner hat remained but appeared to flow into a banner which spurred the name, “Flying Elvis.” This patriot logo is largely the same that is seen today, except the colors changed in 2000 to show a silver-faced patriot with a deeper red and blue hat to continue modernization.
Sports Logo History has excerpt sections from this syndicated post. Read the original at Football Logo Evolution Vol. 2.
2000 - Present
The New England Patriots unveiled a new logo in 2000 which depicts a silver patriot with a red and navy blue striped hat. The 2000 logo is a mirror image of the one designed in 1993, though a few changes have been made, the deepening of the blue shade.
1993 - 1999
In 1993, a new logo was unveiled involving the gray face of a minuteman wearing a red, white and blue hat that begins as a tricorner and transitions into a flowing banner-like design. It became popularly known as the “Flying Elvis.”
1989 - 1992
Patriot Pat in revolution-era outfit hiking a brown football. This logo removed the skin color and made white.
1978
Unused Logo
Three red stripes and a patriot head wearing a hat with a white star in the upper right corner. Has an American flag look to it.
1978
Unused Logo
6 blue stars over a patriot head wearing a tri-corner hat in blue.
1972 - 1988
The 1971 logo for the Patriots made very small changes to the color of the logo. The patriot stayed the same, however the skin is now a more realistic skin color.
1961 - 1971
From 1961 – 1992, the Patriots used a logo of a Revolutionary War minuteman hiking a football. “Pat Patriot,” the cartoon of a Minuteman preparing to snap a football drawn by the Boston Globe’s Phil Bissell, was chosen as the team’s logo.
The Story Behind Patriot Pat from the Cartoonist Who Created Him
In 1960, Boston Globe cartoonist Phil Bissell, working for $25 a day, was handed an assignment that would change his life—and the lives of fans of the brand-new AFL football team coming to Boston. “Sports editor Jerry Nason came to me and he said, ‘They’ve decided to call the team the Boston Patriots. You better have a cartoon ready for tomorrow’s edition.’ I sat down, I drew that cartoon original of Pat in about 45 minutes,” Bissell said. “I thought about it for about two minutes and went to work. I had to get the day’s work out.” Read More...
1960
For their first season, the newly christened Patriots took to the field with a tri-corner blue hat for it’s logo.