NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
AMERICAN CONFERENCE NORTH
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|---|---|---|
| BALTIMORE | CINNCINNATI | CLEVELAND |
| RAVENS | BENGALS | BROWNS |
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| PITTSBURGH |
| STEELERS |
COMMENTS
In 2007, the Steelers will wear special throwback helmets to celebrate the team's 75th anniversary.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
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|---|---|
| 1996 - 1998 | 1999 - present |
When owner Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1995, the NFL brokered a deal in which he would give up the rights to the Browns and everything associated with them. In return, his team became a "new" franchise, the Ravens. The nickname refers to Baltimore favorite son Edgar Allen Poe's famous poem.
The Ravens changed their logo in 1999 after losing a lawsuit. A local security guard named Fred Bouchat submitted a remarkably similar logo as part of a "name the team" contest. A jury awarded Bouchat $ 10 million and forced the Ravens to make a change. Bouchat's logo can be seen below.
CINNCINNATI BENGALS
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|---|---|---|
| 1968 - 1979 | 1980; 1994 special | 1981 - present |
The Bengals entered the league as an AFL expansion team in 1968.
The photo below shows owner and head coach Paul Brown surrounded by potential Bengals' helmet designs. Why they chose such a plain design is beyond me, but it does make sense considering Brown's former team, the Cleveland Browns.
CLEVELAND BROWNS
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| 1957 - 1959 | 1960 - 1961 | 1962 - 1974 |
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| 1975 - 1995; | 2006 - present |
| 1999 - 2005 |
The Cleveland Browns played in the AAFC from 1945 until 1949. They were one of three teams that survived a merger with the NFL in 1950. When the Browns moved to Baltimore in 1995 and became the Ravens, the NFL negotiated a deal with owner Art Modell to relinquish the rights to the Browns to the league to establish a "new" Browns franchise in Cleveland. The NFL considers the "old" Browns and the "new" team, which entered the league in 1999, as a single franchise for historical and statistical purposes.
In 2006, the team will go "retro" and wear dark gray facemasks on their helmets as shown above.
The infamous "CB" design, supposedly used in 1964 or 1965 pre-season can be found at the NFL Prototypes page.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS
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|---|---|---|
| 1954 - 1958 | 1959 - 1961 | 1962 (1st nine games) |
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| 1962 (last five games) | 1962 (postseason) | 1963 - 1976 |
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| 1994 special | 1977 - present | 2007 special |
The Steelers entered the NFL in 1933. The unique Steelers logo is only worn on the right side of the helmet. The left side has always been left "blank". The logo was first worn in during the 10th game of the 1962 season, in support of the city's steelworkers, and has been used ever since. The black helmets were first worn during the "Playoff Bowl" game at the end of the 1962 season. The game was played annually from 1960 - 1969, a week before the championship game. It wasn't actually a part of the playoffs, but an exhibition game between the second place teams of each conference. The Steelers lost the game 17-10 to the Detroit Lions, but have used the black helmets regardless ever since.