Do the ‘Brand New Lions’ Need a ‘Brand New Logo?’

Detroit has one of the more iconic logos in the NFL, rarely changing through the team's 70+ year existence as the Lions. It's longest-tenured stood for more than 30 years, and since then, it's only been SLIGHTLY altered by adding a few lines to accentuate the Lion logo's features.

Some might see the "Same Ol' Logo" as kind of an ironic symbol to the popular phrase amongst fans, "Same Ol' Lions." But, things began to change at the end of 2022. These are NOT the Same Ol' Lions anymore... they've been coined the "BRAND NEW LIONS," so it made us wonder... is it time for a Brand New Logo, too?

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The Lion is a popular mascot amongst teams and companies around the world. Lions are strong, they're intimidating, and they're cool. So, to consider a change to such a familiar logo seems a bit blasphemous.

But, this isn't the same team anymore. Dan Campbell and company have seemingly righted the ship, and caused a stir and excitement in the fan base that hasn't been seen since the Barry Sanders days... or at least briefly when the Lions made the playoffs in Wildcard slots three times in the 2010s.

If you'd asked me a week ago if a new Lions logo was needed my answer would have been, "Absolutely not." HOWEVER, a recent TikTok got my attention... and got me thinking... "Maybe it is time?"

@detroitlions Replying to @trevorbryant35 We rockin with the @emilymorgancreates redesign? #DetroitLions #OnePride #nfl ♬ Food for the Soul - it's murph

That logo was created by a graphic artist who was more-or-less doing it for fun, and it's amazing looking. But when the Lions official TikTok account reposted it, people started talking... Maybe the "Brand New Lions" need a "Brand New Logo."

The first iteration of the Lions Logo, as it looks today, was created in 1970 - a flat outline of a lion pouncing, filled in with the Lions' Royal Blue color.

That logo didn't changed for 32 years. In 2003, they added a black line around the outside, and then in 2009, they added the controversial accent lines that highlight the Lion's actual features. In 2017, the black outline was replaced with the Lions' silver color, and that's where we are today.

So the biggest change to the Lions logo in the past 53 has been... lines.

So there's at least some willingness to make changes to the current logo.

But I'll also offer up this consideration for a flat-out change, and point to the story of a logo change that marked a complete program turnaround... Kansas State.

Before Bill Snyder entered Kansas State as the head football coach, the Wildcats had the worst college football record in NCAA history. But Bill wanted to build a new culture for the team, and the school. He helped create the now infamous "Powercat" logo, and since then, Kansas State has seen one of the best overall NCAA football turnaround records in college history.

That new logo changed the culture of the university, the team, and the fanbase.

So, maybe it's time for the "Brand New Lions" to have a "Brand New Logo."