NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
NATIONAL CONFERENCE NORTH
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|
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|---|---|---|
| CHICAGO | DETROIT | GREEN BAY |
| BEARS | LIONS | PACKERS |
 |
|---|
| MINNESOTA |
| VIKINGS |
COMMENTS
The most recent helmet changes in this division came in 2003, when the Lions added a black outline to their logo and to the blue stripes on the helmet, and changed the facemask to black, and in 2006, when the Vikings updated there helmet logo.
CHICAGO BEARS
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1940s - 1961 | 1962 - 1973 | 1974 - 1982 |
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|---|---|
| 1994 special | 1983 - present |
The Bears are one of the NFL's oldest franchises. They began as the Decatur Staleys in 1920, switched to the Chicago Staleys in 1921, and settled on the Chicago Bears in 1922.
DETROIT LIONS
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1952 - 1960 | 1961 - 1967 | 1968 - 1970 |
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1970 - 1982 | 1994 special | 1983 - 2002 |
| 2001, 2002 special |
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|---|---|
| 2003 special | 2003 - present |
The Lions entered the NFL in 1930 as the Portsmouth Spartans. They moved to Detroit and became the Lions in 1934. The Lions added the white outline to the logo on October, 18, 1970, during the season.
The Lions have begun wearing a throwback helmet for their traditional Thanksgiving Day game. In 2001 & 2002 they wore a silver helmet with blue facemask as they wore in 1994 for the NFL's 75th anniversary. In 2003, they wore the silver helmet with a black facemask.
GREEN BAY PACKERS
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1957 - 1960 | 1961 - 1967 (?) | 1968 (?) - 1979 |
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 |
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|---|---|---|
| 1980 - 1988 | 1989 - 2001 | 1994 special |
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|---|---|
| 2001 special | 2002 - present |
Another longtime franchise, the Packers have played in the NFL since 1921. For many years the team played several home games in Milwaukee, WI.
Originally, the "G" oval logo was more football shaped. The switch occurred sometime in the late 1960s but I'm not sure of the exact year. Other than that, the only real differences in the helmets above are the colors. Over the years, the green and, later, the "gold" have become darker. I've tried to represent the changes above.
In 1994 the team wore a throwback uniform with their original colors -- Navy Blue and "Gold". The helmet had a green facemask however, similar to the current helmet with the decals and stripes removed. In 2001, the team wore "gold" helmets with gray facemasks for a Thanksgiving Throwback game against the Lions.
MINNESOTA VIKINGS
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 |
 |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 - 1979 | 1980 - 1984 | 1985 - 2001 |
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|
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|---|---|---|
| 2002 - 2005 | 2006 - present | |
The Vikings entered the NFL in 1961 as an expansion team. The team's viking horn logo was slightly larger prior to 1980. In 2002, the team switched to a metallic purple helmet which appears to be a lighter shade than previous helmets.
For the 2006 season, the Vikings have changed their uniforms and updated the helmet logo, giving it more definition.