NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
AMERICAN CONFERENCE WEST
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|---|---|---|
| DENVER | KANSAS CITY | OAKLAND |
| BRONCOS | CHIEFS | RAIDERS |
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|---|
| SAN DIEGO |
| CHARGERS |
DENVER BRONOCS
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 - 1961 | 1962 preseason | 1962 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1962 - 1965; | 1964 - 1965 (?) | 1966 |
| 1994 special |
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|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 1968 - 1974 | 1975 - 1996; |
| 2001 special |
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| 1997 - present |
The Broncos were a founding member of the AFL in 1960. They entered the NFL after the two leagues merged in 1970.
1962 brought numerous helmet changes. The team wore a helmet without a logo for at least one preseason game, but not in the regular season. The team added the brown bronco logo for only the first few regular season games, before switching to the white logo.
I've read that in 1964-1965, the team's helmet had a blue-white-blue stripe sequence, similar to the 1966 helmet with the colors reversed. I added this version, but I would still like some confirmation of its existence. Also, it seems that prior to 1976, the team used a lighter shade of blue. I don't know if this was seen on the helmets however.
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 - 1962 | 1963 - 1973 | 1974 - present |
| DALLAS TEXANS |
The Chiefs were a founding member of the AFL as the Dallas Texans in 1960. In 1963, they moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs. Until 1974, the arrowhead logo was noticeably larger than on the current helmet, and the black outline was thinner.
OAKLAND RAIDERS
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1961 - 1962 | 1963; |
| 1994 special |
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|---|
| 1964 - present |
The Raiders were a founding member of the AFL in 1960. They entered the NFL in 1970 when the leagues merged. From 1982 until 1994, the team played in Los Angeles.
SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
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|---|---|---|
1960 |
1960 |
1961 - 1965; |
(some games ?) |
1967 - 1973 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1963 - 1964 | 1966 | 1974 - 1987 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1994, 2000, | 1988 - 2006 | 2007 - present |
| 2002 - 2006, special |
The Chargers were a founding member of the AFL in 1960 as the Los Angeles Chargers. They moved to San Diego in 1961 and entered the NFL in 1970 when the two leagues merged. According to some sources, the outline on the yellow lightning bolt logo may have fluctuated between navy and black throughout the 1960s. Also, there is some evidence that there may have been a faint yellow outline to the blue bolt logo used in 1960 and 1966. I've seen digitally enhanced photos which hint at the yellow, but they may simply have been a seam where the decal met the helmet. I've added a version with the yellow outline helmet that was apparently used in 1960. If the outline was used in other years, I'd like some confirmation.
During the 1963-1964 seasons, some players wore a shield logo on the front of their helmets for some games. The team stopped using the logo in 1965. You can see the logo below.
The Chargers have worn the white helmet as a throwback on several occasions since 1994, the NFL's 75th anniversary. The helmets were worn for a single game in 2000, the team's 40th anniversary and yet again for single games from 2002 on. There is some evidence that the numbers worn on these helmet have changed, but I've only been able to determine that they were bolder, and perhaps larger from 2002 on than in they were in 1994. For the 2007 season, the team has changed uniforms and will be using a variation of the white helmet all season long.