The Green Bay Packers are Wisconsin’s most iconic franchise and the only publicly owned team in professional sports.
The team name comes from the Acme Packing Company, a meatpacking company that purchased team rights in the early 1920s. Green Bay currently has four Super Bowl victories, including the first-ever showdown in 1966. Known for traditions like the Lambeau Leap, the Packers have 13 league championships (including championships before the NFL–AFL merger) – the most in league history.
The Vince Lombardi Trophy, which is given to the Super Bowl winner, was named after Green Bay legend Vince Lombardi, who guided the team to great success.
We decided to take a “Lambeau Leap” into the rich backstory of one of the most historic teams in the NFL. Read on to see how the #PackersNation jersey has changed throughout the past several decades.
Logo History
1951–1955: Green Bay’s first logo displays the team name in green block font with a football in the background and goal posts on either side.
1956–1961: The Packers change the logo to a quarterback getting ready to throw a pass, which is overlaid on a green outline of Wisconsin. The design is placed on an all-yellow football.
1961–1979: Green Bay rebrands with a simple block “G,” which closely resembles the current logo.
1980–present: The team adds a yellow outline to the logo.
Green Bay Packers 3′ x 5′ Team Helmet Field Flag
Notable Jersey Changes
1921: The Acme Packing Company purchases early ownership of the team, so the first jerseys give pride to the team’s owners with navy blue and gold as the primary colors. Pants are worn high to protect the lower body, and the uniforms are made out of felt for better grip.
1923–1924: The Packers switch to a plain, gold jersey with nine navy-blue stripes on each sleeve.
1927: The uniforms are redesigned with jockey-like jerseys that feature 13 blue and gold vertical stripes and faded blue pants.
1929: The Packers abandon the previous look for plain, dark-navy jerseys with small numbering on the front enclosed in a circle.
1937: The Packers move to a solid blue jersey with a gold upper and gold numbers to match. The pants are gold, and the stockings match the jersey. The team has paid tribute to this jersey with recent throwback appearances.
Green Bay Packers New Era Sideline Classic 9FIFTY Snapback Adjustable Hat – Navy
1951: The team utilizes combinations of metallic gold and introduces green into the uniform color scheme. A solid, bright green jersey is used with gold numerals and double gold stripes on each sleeve. Additionally, gold pants with green stripes complement the inverted colors of the top.
1954: The Packers reintroduce navy-blue jerseys with a new three-stripe design in a dirty-mustard coloring.
1959: Vince Lombardi revamps uniforms with the basic design and color changes that are still in place today. These alterations include a three-stripe design on socks and the familiar green-gold colorway that the Packers embrace.
1961: The team places its first and only logo on the helmet and changes the striping on the socks.
1969: Along with the rest of the league, the Packers wear a patch on the left shoulder to commemorate the league’s 50th anniversary.
1975: The green-white-green stripe on the pants grows wider by more than an inch.
1984: Forrest Gregg, a new head coach, makes the most changes to the uniform since Lombardi’s design in the late 1950s. The team adds the logo to overlay the striping on each sleeve. “TV numbers” move from sleeves to shoulders, and the team name, enclosed in a green circle, is added to the pants.
1989: The logo is removed from the sleeves, and the numbering on the pants disappears.
1994: To mark the team’s 75th anniversary, the Packers use a throwback uniform with navy blue and yellow coloring in memory of the late 1930s.
2001: Green Bay uses throwback uniforms for a Thanksgiving Day showdown with the Detroit Lions. The uniforms pay tribute to the 1930s, utilizing white jerseys with green numbers and gold pants.
2002: The Packers add an NFL shield to both the pants and the neckline.
2003: The Packers wear a new variation of a throwback uniform on Thanksgiving. The uniform is an updated version of the 1967 road uniform with subtle changes, including the green-gold trim on the sleeves, neckline, and matching socks.
2007: The Packers wear a patch in honor of the 50th anniversary of Lambeau Field.
2010: The Packers wear another throwback uniform with a nod to the 1920s. The jersey uses the original blue-and-yellow coloring, and the pants are a muddy gold shade.
2012: As the NFL makes the switch from Reebok to Nike as the official uniform provider, the Packers decline any modern enhancements. The team sticks with the classic collar and striped trim instead of Nike’s new design.
2013: The Packers wear a throwback uniform similar to 2012’s design, which paid tribute to the 1929 season. They change things up. The team decides to wear bright yellow helmets that match the shade of the jersey.
Looking Back to Look Forward
Nowadays, most NFL teams tend to avoid retiring jersey numbers due to the challenges it creates for the equipment staff. Although the Packers have been playing ball for a little over nine decades, they have only retired four numbers. To make up for their reluctance to retire legendary numbers, the Packers have their own Hall of Fame, which currently recognizes 128 former players.
No. 3 – Tony Canadeo
No. 14 – Don Hutson
No. 15 – Bart Starr
No. 66 – Ray Nitschke
Ray Nitschke Green Bay Packers Mitchell & Ness Replica Retired Player Jersey – Green
Heading out to legendary Lambeau Field? Before grabbing your cheesehead, consider stepping up your Packers wardrobe with the latest green-and-gold gear! Visit Fanatics for the most popular fan gear, including specialty jerseys and hats.
